Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Is Hepatitis C Virus Positivity a Contributing Factor to Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Hemodialysis Patients?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Digestive Diseases and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hepatitis B (HBV) infections continue to occur in adult hemodialysis units. Occult HBV infection (serum hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] negative but HBV DNA positive) may be a contributing factor in these patients. This study was designed to (1) investigate the prevalence of occult HBV infection in hemodialysis patients and (2) compare the prevalence of occult HBV infection among hepatitis C (HCV)-positive and HCV-negative hemodialysis patients. The study included 138 patients on chronic hemodialysis. Eighty-four patients were HCV positive and 54 were HCV negative. HBV DNA testing was performed by polymerase chain reaction. We also recorded general characteristics of the patients, duration of hemodialysis, and serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels. Twenty-one (15.2%) of the 138 hemodialysis patients were HBV DNA positive. Nine (16.6%) of the 54 anti-HCV antibody negative hemodialysis patients were HBV DNA positive. Twelve (14.2%) of the 84 anti-HCV antibody positive patients were HBV DNA positive. The prevalence in anti-HCV Ab positive and negative hemodialysis patients were same (P > .05). Hemodialysis duration, demographic features, and biochemical parameters were not significantly different in patients with and without occult HBV infection in both HCV-positive and -negative hemodialysis patients (P > .05). HCV positivity is not a contributing factor to occult HBV infection in hemodialysis patients. None of the parameters tested help to distinguish patients with occult HBV infection from those who are HBV DNA negative.

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. Lee WM (1997) Hepatitis B virus infection. N Engl J Med 337:1733–1745

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Alter MJ (2003) Epidemiology and prevention of hepatitis B. Semin Liver Dis 23:39–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brechot C, Thiers V, Kremsdorf D, Nalpas B, Pol S, Paterlini-Brechot P (2001) Persistent hepatitis B virus infection in subjects without hepatitis B surface antigen: clinically significant or purely ‘occult’? Hepatology 34:194–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hu Q (2002) Occult hepatitis B infection and its clinical implications. J Viral Hep 9:243–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Torbenson M, Thomas DL (2002) Occult hepatitis B infection. Lancet Infect Dis 2: 479–486

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mistik R, Balik İ (2003) Türkiye’de viral hepatitlerin epidemiyolojik analizi. In: Kilicturgay K, Badur S (eds) Viral hepatit. Viral Hepatitle Savaşım Derneği, Istanbul, p 0–55

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cacciola I, Pollicino T, Squadrito G, Cerenzia G, Orlando ME, Raimando G (1999) Occult hepatitis B infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C liver disease. N Engl J Med 341:22–26

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Koike K, Kobayashi M, Gondo M, Hayashi I, Osuga T, Takada S (1998) Hepatitis B virus DNA is frequently found in liver biopsy samples from hepatitis C virus-infected chronic hepatitis patients. J Med Virol 54:249–255

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sheu JC, Huang GT, Shih LN, Lee HC, Chou JT, Wang PH, Lee MY, Lai CY, Chen DS (1992) Hepatitis C and B viruses in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology 103:1322–1327

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zignego AL, Fontana R, Puliti S, Barbagli S, Monti M, Careccia G, Giannelli F, Giannini C, Buzzelli G, Brunetto MR, Bonino F, Gentilini P (1997) Relevance of inapparent coinfection by hepatitis B virus in alpha interferon-treated patients with hepatitis C virus chronic hepatitis. J Med Virol 51:313–318

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fukuda R, Ishimura N, Niigaki M, Hamamoto S, Satoh S, Tanaka S, Kushiyama Y, Uchida Y, Ihihara S, Akagi S, Watanebe M, Kinoshita Y (1999) Serologically silent hepatitis B virus coinfection in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated chronic liver disease: clinical and virological significance. J Med Virol 58:201–207

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Minuk GY, Sun DF, Greenberg R, Zhang M, Hawkins K, Uhanova J, Gutkin A, Bernstein K, Giulivi A, Osiowy C (2004) Occult hepatitis B virus infection in a North American adult hemodialysis patient population. 40:1072–1077

  13. Besisik F, Karaca C, Akyuz F, Horosanli S, Onel D, Badur S, Sever MS, Danalioglu A, Demir K, Kaymakoglu S, Cakaloglu Y, Okten A (2003) Occult HBV infection and YMDD variants in hemodialysis patients with chronic HCV infection. J Hepatol 38:506–510

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wachs ME, Amend WJ, Ascher NL, Bretan PN, Emond J, Lake JR, et al (1995) The risk of transmission of hepatitis B from HBsAg (-), HBcAb positive, HBIgM (-) organ donors. Transplantation 59:230–234

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Baginski I, Chemin I, Hantz O, Pichoud C, Jullien AM, Chevre JC, Li JS, Vitvitski L, Sninsky JJ, Trepo C (1992) Transmission of serologically silent hepatitis B virus along with hepatitis C in two cases of posttransfusion hepatitis. Transfusion 32:215–220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, 35 Sokak, 81/5, Bahcelievler, 06490, Ankara, Turkey

    Mehmet Kanbay, Gurden Gur & Ali Akcay

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Haldun Selcuk, Ugur Yilmaz, Hande Arslan & Sedat Boyacioglu

  3. Department of Nephrology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Fatma Nurhan Ozdemir

Authors
  1. Mehmet Kanbay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gurden Gur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ali Akcay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Haldun Selcuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ugur Yilmaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hande Arslan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sedat Boyacioglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Fatma Nurhan Ozdemir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mehmet Kanbay.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kanbay, M., Gur, G., Akcay, A. et al. Is Hepatitis C Virus Positivity a Contributing Factor to Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Hemodialysis Patients?. Dig Dis Sci 51, 1962–1966 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9421-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9421-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation