Firnhaber C., Chen C.Y., Evans D., Maskew M., Schulz D., Reyneke A., Kramvis A.
Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Right to Care, PO Box Postnet Suite 176, Private Bag X2600, Houghton, Johannesburg 2041, South Africa; Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Programme, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Firnhaber, C., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Right to Care, PO Box Postnet Suite 176, Private Bag X2600, Houghton, Johannesburg 2041, South Africa; Chen, C.Y., Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Programme, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Evans, D., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Maskew, M., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Schulz, D., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Reyneke, A., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Kramvis, A., Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Programme, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Objectives: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with undetectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has been reported in HIV patients, but the clinical significance is unknown. This study presents the prevalence of HBV DNA in HIV-positive patients negative for all HBV serological markers and a retrospective evaluation of the clinical course of mono- and co-infection. Methods: Of 502 HIV-positive patients, 222 tested negative for HBsAg, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). An in-house real-time PCR targeting the HBV S-region was used to quantify HBV DNA. HBV isolates were genotyped. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of HBV DNA-positive and HBV DNA-negative patients were described. Treatment outcomes of patients at 6, 12, and 24 months after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) were summarized. Results: HBV DNA was detected in 5.4% (12/222) of serologically negative patients. Mean HBV viral load was 5359.2 IU/ml (standard deviation (SD) ±12 768.27). Eleven HBV isolates belonged to genotype A and one to genotype C. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or clinical course between the HBV DNA-positive and HBV DNA-negative groups. Conclusions: We found 5.4% of the HBV serologically-negative HIV-positive patients had low levels of HBV DNA. There were no significant differences in clinical outcome between the mono- and co-infected groups. © 2012 International Society for Infectious Diseases.