Occult HBV Infection among Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Transmission routs of both hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses are similar and infection with both viruses is common. Occult hepatitis B is a new entity in which serum HBsAg is negative but HBVDNA is detectable in serum or liver tissues. In this study the frequency of occult hepatitis B among patients with chronic hepatitis C and also their biochemical and histological changes were investigated. In this study, 27 patients with chronic hepatitis C with negative serum HBsAg were enrolled. These patients had been referred to Taleghani hospital and RCGLD (Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases) or THC (Tehran Hepatitis Center) during years 2001 and 2002 and had been undertaken liver biopsy. Liver biopsies were reviewed and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and HBsAg and HBcAg were assayed in liver tissue by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) respectively. From 27 chronic hepatitis C patients studied, HBVDNA was detectable by PCR in 5(19%). Immunohistochemistry for both HBcAg and HBsAg were reported to be negative in all patients. Histological changes of cirrhosis and symptoms of decompensated cirrhosis were seen just in HBVDNA positive patients. This study concludes that Occult HBV infection is common among chronic hepatitis C patients. Occult hepatitis B probably accelerates the evolution to cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.