CORRELATION OF VIROLOGICAL AND CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS B & C CO-INFECTION

Abstract

Background: Both HBV super-infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCV super-infection
in patients with chronic hepatitis B have been reported. In case of co-infection, hepatitis B and C interact
with each other and affect immune responses resulting in active HCV with inactive HBV, active HBV
with inactive HCV, both active and both inactive. The objective of our study was to find out and
correlate the virological and clinical profile in our patients with chronic hepatitis B and C co-infection.
Material and Methods: This observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted at
Medical ‘A’ Ward, PGMI, LRH Peshawar and Author’s Private Hepatology Clinic, from July 2010 to
June 2014. All patients with HBsAg and Anti-HCV Reactive by ELISA for more than six months were
included in the study. Following investigations were carried out in these patients: Serum ALT, HBeAg,
anti-HBe, HBV DNA PCR, HCV RNA PCR, and abdominal ultrasound. Data was entered and analyzed
using SPSS version 16.0.
Results: A total of 130 patients were included in the analysis, out of which 81 (62.3%) were males.
Mean age of patients was 40.52±14.27 years. Majority of patients belonged to age-group of 21-30 years.
Mean serum ALT of patients was 83.69±60.48 U/L. Majority of patients belonged to ALT-Group of 41-
80 U/L. Hepatitis C Virus was the dominant virus in 53% of patients. Chronic Hepatitis was the
dominant clinical profile in 73% of patients.
Conclusion: Hepatitis C Virus is the dominant virus in our patients with BC co-infection. There is no
statistically significant association between virological and clinical profile of these patients.
Key Words: Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, BC Co-infection, Chronic Hepatitis, Cirrhosis,
Hepatocellular Carcinoma