Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B or C in HIV Positive Patients with Triple Infection
By
Liz Highleyman It
is estimated that perhaps 3%-5% of HIV positive
individuals also have both chronic hepatitis
B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection,
and more severe liver disease has been observed in such patients. In
the April 15, 2007 Journal of Infectious Diseases, Spanish researchers
presented an overview of triple infection and its treatment. They
noted that "viral interference" may account for the fact that replication
of one hepatitis virus (HBV or HCV) generally predominates over the other. In
particular, several past studies have suggested that coinfection with HBV tends
to reduce HCV replication. However, the impact of anti-HBV and/or anti-HCV therapy
on this "reciprocal inhibition" has not been well established. Studies
to date, which have included 21 patients with HIV/HBV/HCV triple infection, have
shown "no evidence of reactivation" of either HBV or HCV when antiviral
therapy brings about complete suppression of the other virus. "This
information has important pathogenic implications and may influence therapeutic
decisions," the authors concluded. 04/03/07 Reference
V
Soriano, P Barreiro, L Martin-Carbonero, and others. Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis
B or C in HIV-Infected Patients with Dual Viral Hepatitis. Journal of Infectious
Diseases 195(8): 1181-1183. April 15, 2007. | 
