Natural history of patients with recurrent chronic hepatitis C virus and occult hepatitis B co-infection after liver transplantation

Am J Transplant. 2006 Jul;6(7):1600-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2006.01370.x.

Abstract

It is uncertain whether occult hepatitis B virus co-infection will hasten progressive liver disease in chronic hepatitis C patients after liver transplantation. This study evaluated fibrosis progression and severe fibrosis in 118 consecutive hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients with virological and histological evidence of recurrent chronic hepatitis C infection co-infected with occult hepatitis B virus after liver transplantation. HBV DNA was detected from serum at the time of recurrent chronic hepatitis C infection by polymerase chain reaction. Each subject underwent a repeat liver biopsy 5 years post-liver transplantation. Occult hepatitis B virus co-infection was present in 41 of the 118 (34.7%) patients. At 5 years post-liver transplantation, 13 of the 41 occult hepatitis B virus co-infected patients compared with 16 of the 77 patients without occult hepatitis B virus co-infection developed fibrosis progression (31.7% vs. 20.8%, respectively, p = 0.39). Eight of 41 the occult hepatitis B virus co-infected patients compared with 13 of the 77 patients without occult hepatitis B virus co-infection had severe fibrosis (19.5% vs. 16.9%, respectively, p = 0.97). In conclusion, occult hepatitis B virus co-infection in patients with recurrent chronic hepatitis C infection was not associated with accelerated fibrosis progression or severe fibrosis after liver transplantation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Hepacivirus / physiology*
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / diagnosis*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / surgery*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / virology
  • Humans
  • Liver Transplantation* / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • DNA, Viral