Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evidence for hepatitis B virus infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C with and without serological markers of hepatitis B

  • Liver: Infectious, Inflammatory, And Metabolic Disorders
  • Published:
Digestive Diseases and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To assess the influence of HBV infection on anti-HCV-positive chronic liver disease, we performed a prospective case-control study comparing 19 HBsAg-positive, anti-HCV-positive patients with 38 HBsAg-negative, anti-HCV-positive patients, pair-matched for age, sex, and ALT levels. HBV and HCV infections were investigated by standard serology and polymerase chain reaction. HCV RNA was found in all patients with CAH and in 90.0% with cirrhosis (33% HBsAg-positive). HBV DNA sequences were found, in the HBsAg-positive subjects, in 71.4% of CAH and in 83.3% of cirrhotics; in the HBsAg-negative ones, only 10% of CAH but 77.7% of cirrhotics had demonstrable HBV DNA sequences. Consequently, 80.0% of cirrhotics had evidence of both HBV and HCV infection. Conventional serology gives partial information on the true occurrence of HBV infection in HBsAg-negative patients, while PCR defines more accurately the HBV status. When the rate of double infection is defined in this way, it correlates with the presence of cirrhosis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Villa E, Theodossi A, Portmann B, Eddleston ALWF, Williams R: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection in two patients with immunofluorescent studies of liver tissue. Gastroenterology 80:1048–1053, 1981

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Davis GL, Hoofnagle JH, Waggoner JG: Spontaneous reactivation of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Gastroenterology 86:230–235, 1984

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Wu JC, Lee SD, Tsay SH, Tsai YT, Chan CY, Huang YS, Lo KJ, Ting LP: Symptomatic anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B in Taiwan with special reference to persistent HBV replication and HDV superinfection. J Med Virol 25:141–148, 1988

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lok ASF, Lai CL: Acute exacerbations in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Incidence, predisposing factor and etiology. J Hepatol 10:29–34, 1990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chan CY, Lee SD, Wu JC, Hwang SJ, Wang YJ, Huang YS, Lo KJ: Superinfection with hepatitis C virus in patients with symptomatic chronic hepatitis B. Scand J Infect Dis 23:421–424, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sheen IS, Liaw YF, Chu CM, Pao C: Role of hepatitis C virus infection in spontaneous hepatitis B antigen clearance during chronic hepatitis B virus infection. J Infect Dis 165:831–834, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Villa E, Grottola A, Trande P, Seium Y, Rebecchi AM, Dugani A, Manenti F: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection induced by interferon (IFN) in HBsAG-positive, anti HCV-positive patients. Lancet 341:1413, 1993 (letter)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Scotto J, Hadchouel M, Hery C, Yvart J, Tiollais P, Brechot C: Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA by a single spot hybridization technique: comparison with results for other viral markers. Hepatology 3:279–284, 1983

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrock J: Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor, New York, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  10. Shindo M, Okuno T, Arai K, Matsumoto M, Takeda M, Kashima L, Shimada M, Fujiwara Y, Sokawa Y: Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in paraffin-embedded liver tissue in chronic hepatitis B or non A, non B hepatitis using the polymerase chain reaction. Hepatology 13:167–171, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Chomczynski P, Sacchi N: Single step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction. Anal Biochem 162:156–159, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Villa E, Ferretti I, Fratti N, Trande P, De Palma M, Vecchi C, Manenti F: HCV RNA in serum of asymptomatic blood donors involved in post-transfusion hepatitis (PTH). J Hepatol 13:256–259, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Fagan EA, Pancho-Guarner SDK, Perers P, Towbridge R, Rolando N, Davison F, Williams R: Quantitation of hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) in serum using the spot hybridization technique and scintillation counting. J Virol Methods 12:251–262, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gerken G, Paterlini P, Manns M, Housset C, Terre S, Dienes H-P, Hess G, Gerlich WH, Berthelot P, Meyer zum Buschenfelde K-H, Brechot C: Assay of hepatitis B Virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction and its relationship to preS- and S-encoded viral surface antigens. Hepatology 13:158–166, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Banninger P, Altorfer J, Froesner GG, Pirovino M, Gudat F, Bianchi L, Grob PJ: Prevalence and significance of anti-HBc IgM (radio immunoassay) in acute and chronic hepatitis B and in blood donors. Hepatology 3:337–342, 1983

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Sjogren M, Hoofnagle JH: Immunoglobin M antibody to hepatitis core antigen in patients with chronic type B hepatitis. Gastroenterology 89:252–258, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Loriot MA, Marcellin P, Bismuth E, Martinot-Peignoux M, Boyer N, Degott C, Erlinger S, Benhamou P: Demonstration of hepatitis B virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction in the serum and the liver after spontaneous or therapeutically induced HBeAg to antiHBe or HBsAg to antiHBs seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology 15:32–36, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kuhns M, McNamara A, Mason A, Campbell C, Perrillo R: Serum and liver hepatitis B virus DNA in chronic hepatitis B after sustained loss of surface antigen. Gastroenterology 103:1649–1656, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhang Y-Y, Hansson BG, Kuo LS, Widell A, Nordenfelt E: Hepatitis B virus DNA in serum and liver is commonly found in chinese patients with chronic liver disease despite the presence of antibodies to HBsAg. Hepatology 17:538–544, 1993

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Fong T-L, DiBisceglie A, Waggoner JG, Banks SM, Hoofnagle JH: The significance of antibody to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology 14:64–67, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Brechot C, Pourcel C, Louise A, Rain B, Tiollais P: Presence of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA sequences in cellular DNA of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Nature 286:533–535, 1980

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Edman JC, Gray P, Valenzuela P, Rall L, Rutter W: Integration of hepatitis B virus sequences and their expression in a human hepatoma cell line. Nature 286:535–538, 1980

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ogston CW, Jonak GJ, Rogler CE, Astrin SM, Summers J: Cloning and structural analysis of integrated woodchuck hepatitis virus sequences from hepatocellular carcinoma of woodchucks. Cell 29:385–394, 1982

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Yaginuma K, Kobayashi M, Yoshida E, Koike K: Hepatitis B virus integration of hepatocellular carcinoma DNA: Duplication of cellular flanking sequences at the integration site. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:4458–4462, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Paterlini P, Gerken G, Nakajima E, Terre S, D'Errico A, Grigioni W, Nalpas B, Frando D, Wands J, Kew M, Pisi E, Tiollais P, Brechot C: Polymerase chain reaction to detect hepatitis B virus DNA and RNA sequences in primary liver cancers from patients negative for hepatitis B surface antigen. N Engl J Med 323:80–85, 1990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Paterlini P, Franco D, Driss F, Nalpas B, Pisi E, Berthelot P, Brechot C: Persistence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viral genomes in primary liver cancers from HBsAg-negative patients: A study of a low-endemic area. Hepatology 17:20–29, 1993

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Kaklamani E, Trichopolous D, Tzonou A, Zavitsanos X, Koumantaki Y, Hatzakis A, Hadziyannis S: Hepatitis B and C viruses and their interaction in the origin of the hepatocellular carcinoma. JAMA 265:1974–1976, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Stroffolini T, Chiaramonte M, Tiribelli C, Villa E, Simonetti RG, Rapicetta M, Stazi MA, Bertin T, Crocé SL, Trande P, Magliocco A, Chionne P: Hepatitis C virus infection, HBsAg carrier state and hepatocellular carcinoma: Relative risk and population attributable risk from a case-control study in Italy. J Hepatol 16:360–363, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. From the Chair of Gastroenterology and III Department of Internal Medicine, University of Modena, Italy

    Erica Villa MD, Antonella Grottola BSc, Paola Buttafoco BSc, Paolo Trande MD, Annalisa Merighi BSc, Nicoletta Fratti MD, Yodit Seium MD, Giorgio Cioni MD & Federico Manenti MD

Authors
  1. Erica Villa MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonella Grottola BSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paola Buttafoco BSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paolo Trande MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Annalisa Merighi BSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Nicoletta Fratti MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yodit Seium MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Giorgio Cioni MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Federico Manenti MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This work was supported by grants 40% (Progetto Virus) of MURST (Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca Scientifica) and AIRC (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro). A.G. is a recipient of a fellowship from Wellcome Italia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Villa, E., Grottola, A., Buttafoco, P. et al. Evidence for hepatitis B virus infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C with and without serological markers of hepatitis B. Digest Dis Sci 40, 8–13 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02063934

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02063934

Key words

Search

Navigation