Overt and occult hepatitis B virus infection among treatment-naïve HIV-infected patients in Brazil

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 88; no. 7; pp. 1222 - 1229
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Marina Pedroso, Lemes, Pollyanne Sousa, Matos, Márcia Alves Dias, Del-Rios, Nativa Helena Alves, Santos Carneiro, Megmar Aparecida, Costa Silva, Ágabo Macedo, Lopes, Carmen Luci Rodrigues, Teles, Sheila Araújo, Aires, Rodrigo Sebba, Lago, Bárbara Vieira, Araujo, Natalia Motta, Martins, Regina Maria Bringel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biomarkers; Brazil - epidemiology; Coinfection - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; DNA, Viral - blood; Drug Users; Epidemiology; Female; Genotype; HBV DNA; Hepatitis; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - diagnosis; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - virology; Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - genetics; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis C virus; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - virology; Homosexuality; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mutation; occult infection; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Virology; Young Adult; HBV DNA; occult infection; HIV; hepatitis B
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24462

Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co‐infection is common, only few data are available on HBV among HIV patients including occult hepatitis B infection (OBI), regardless of serological markers. This study aims to determine the prevalence of OBI and overall HBV infection, associated factors, HBV genotypes, and surface (S) gene mutations in a population of treatment‐naïve HIV‐infected patients in Brazil. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in treatment‐naïve HIV‐infected patients in Central Brazil. All samples were tested for HBV serological markers and HBV DNA. Sequence analysis of the S gene and overlapping polymerase gene was preformed. Overall, 25.1% (127/505) of the patients had markers of current or previous HBV infection, which was associated with age over 40 years, history of injection drug use, and homosexual sex. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence was 4.9% (25/505). HBV DNA was detected in 39 out of 505 patients: 20 of them were HBsAg‐positive and 19 were HBsAg‐negative, resulting in an OBI prevalence of 3.8%. Patients with OBI had significantly higher HCV seropositivity rate compared to HBsAg‐positive patients. Sequencing of the S gene revealed Y100C, T131N, and D144A mutations. One patient had the M204I and L180M drug‐resistance mutations (polymerase). HBV genotypes A (A1, A2), D (D2, D3), and F (F2) were identified. In conclusion, OBI represented almost half of all HBV infections with detectable HBV DNA, suggesting that hepatitis B diagnosis in HIV patients should include in addition to serological markers the detection of HBV DNA. J. Med. Virol. 88:1222–1229, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.