Absence of Effect of Zidovudine on Replication of Hepatitis B Virus in Patients with Chronic HIV and HBV Infection

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Abstract
To the Editor: Zidovudine (AZT) is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro by an inhibitory effect on the reverse transcriptase of the virus. The DNA polymerase of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) has reverse transcriptase activity. An inhibitory in vitro effect of AZT on the DNA polymerase of HBV has been shown,1 but to our knowledge there is no published study on the effect of AZT on the replication of HBV in patients with chronic HBV infection. HBV infection is common in subjects with chronic HIV infection, and antiviral therapy for chronic . . .