Prevalence of HBV, HDV and HCV hepatitis markers in HIV-positive patients.

Since HIV infection could condition the natural history of parenterally transmitted viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV, HDV), with possibly differing effects in different risk groups, we decided to retrospectively examine sera from a cohort of 637 HIV seropositive patients in different stages of infection, seen from 1985 to 1992, to study the prevalence and temporal course of these infections. Virological markers of HBV, HCV and HDV were determined by ELISA and RIBA methods. The severity of HIV infection was higher in homosexuals than in drug addicts. Prevalence of antiHBc antibodies was 82% in drug addicts and 77% in homosexuals, whereas antiHCV antibodies prevalence was 72% in drug addicts and only 7% in homosexuals (p < 0.000001). When only antiHBc-positive patients were considered, there was a significant difference in antiHBs antibodies between drug addicts (DA) and homosexuals (OR for DA 0.29, 95% CI 0.08/0.83, p = 0.02), suggesting that drug addicts are less able to produce a protective response. This fact cannot be explained by the severity of HIV infection (which was higher among the homosexual group) and suggests some immunodepressive effect of drug abuse. Delta infection was only detected in the drug addict group, and the prevalence was low. Finally, we cannot confirm the interference of HCV infection with the speed of HBsAg clearance: in this study the prevalence of HBsAg was almost the same in HCV-positive and negative patients.