Positive HBV DNA in liver samples in patients with chronic HCV infection

PURPOSE: To determine prevalence of positive HBV DNA in liver tissue samples in patients with chronic HCV infection (CHCV) and to investigate whether there is an association between it and underlying clinical condition. METHODE: For the period 2004 – 2010 in the Gastroenterology Clinic at the Military Medical Academy – Sofia, 96 patients CHCV (77% males, 23% females, mean age 50, 5 ± 10, 02 years) – chronic hepatitis (n-42), cirrhosis (n-35) and НСС (n-19) were included in the study. All of them were HBs Ag – negative. Liver samples were tested for the presence on of tree gene regions of HBV: S-, Coreand Хantigen coding regions. Serum levels of HBV DNA were also investigated. RESULTS: Positive liver HBV DNA was found in 40,6% of patients with CHCV. The presence of Sgen coding region was detected in 82% (n-32), Core-gen coding region in 87% (n-34) and Х -gen coding region in 46,1% (n-18) of cases. Occult HBV infection was significantly associated with the presence of cirrhosis and HCC (P<0,0001) and with positive serum markers for past HBV infection (P=0,001). The prevalence of positive serum HBV DNA (20,8%) was significantly lower than the prevalence of positive liver HBV DNA (P<0,0001). CONCLUSION: Positive liver HBV DNA was found in 40,6% of cases with CHCV, which is significantly higher than the presence of positive serum HBV DNA (20,8%) in the same patients. Occult HBV infection in patients with CHCV was associated with more severe liver damage in comparison with the patients monoinfected with HCV.