Viral hepatitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

From 1992 to 1995 we studied 232 (69% male, 87% Caucasian) anti-human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) positive Brazilian patients, through a questionnaire; HIV had been acquired sexually by 50%, from blood by 32%, sexually and/or from blood by 16.4% and by an unknown route by 1.7%. Intravenous drug use was reported by 29%; it was the most important risk factor for HIV transmission. The alanine aminotransferase quotient (qALT) was >1 for 40% of the patients, 93.6% had anti-hepatitis A virus antibody, 5.3% presented hepatitis B surface antigen, 44% were anti-hepatitis B core antigen positive and 53.8% were anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) positive. The anti-HCV test showed a significant association with qALT>1. Patients for whom the probable HIV transmission route was blood had a 10.8 times greater risk of being anti-HCV positive than patients infected by other routes. Among 30 patients submitted to liver biopsy, 18 presented chronic hepatitis.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Pavan,Maria Helena P., Aoki,Francisco Hideo, Monteiro,Dinaida Teresa, Gonçales,Neiva Sellan L., Escanhoela,Cecília Amélia F., Gonçales Júnior,Fernando L.
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases 2003
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702003000400005
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