Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Central China.

Co-infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has an adverse effect on liver disease progression. This study investigated the prevalence of HBV and/or HCV co-infection in HIV-infected patients in Central China. A total of 978 HIV-infected patients from Hunan Province were enrolled. HBV serum markers, anti-hepatitis-C-virus antibody (anti-HCV), HBV DNA, and HBV genotypes were analyzed. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV in HIV-infected patients was 19.4 % and 62.4 %, respectively. The prevalence of anti-HCV in HIV-positive intravenous drug users was 93.6 %. Among HBsAg-positive patients, 88.1 % were found to have at least one HBV serum marker. The rates of HIV mono-infection, HBV/HIV dual infection, HCV/HIV dual infection, and HBV/HCV/HIV triple infection were 30.4 %, 7.2 %, 50.2 %, and 12.2 %, respectively. Antibody to HBsAg (Anti-HBs) was more common in anti-HCV-positive than anti-HCV-negative patients (53.3 % vs 40.2 %, P = 0.000), but isolated hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) was more common in anti-HCV-negative than anti-HCV-positive patients (24.2 % vs 12.3 %, P = 0.000). Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and sexual transmission were independent risk factors for active HBV replication. Intravenous drug use and male sex were independent risk factors, but old age and presence of HBeAg were independent protective factors for anti-HCV. Co-infection of HBV and/or HCV with HIV infection is common in central China. HCV status is associated with anti-HBs and isolated anti-HBc in co-infected patients.

[Study on the threshold of HIV-1 drug resistance in Hunan province].

OBJECTIVE: To survey the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance in patients newly diagnosed as HIV positive and who were younger than 25 years of age but had not received treatment with antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Hunan province. METHODS: Serum specimens of HIV infected individuals were collected and HIV-1 pol genetic mutations associated with drug resistance were identified with PCR and interpreted with Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total number of 69 patients whose HIV sequences were amplified successfully with 2 (2.9%) specimens appeared mutations associated with HIV-1 drug resistance in the reverse transcriptase region, including one as V75M and the other one as K103N and V181C. Data showed that the prevalence of drug resistance in Hunan was 2.9%. CONCLUSION: The first line regiments of national ART seemed still effective. Most of the AIDS patients did not need to be tested on drug resistance status before starting ART. However, it is important to start HIV drug resistance surveillance in no time.