A study of chronic hepatitis B infection superinfected with hepatitis E infection.
- Author:
Guo-Shun ZHANG
1
;
Fu-Min FENG
;
Yu-Lin LI
;
Ju-Xiang YUAN
;
Hua SHANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Female; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic; virology; Hepatitis E; virology; Hepatitis E virus; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Superinfection
- From: Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2006;14(12):906-908
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVESTo compare the influence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection on the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by observing clinical features, the relationship between the number of HBV DNA copies in serum, the degree of hepatic function impairments and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B patients with hepatitis E superinfection.
METHODSOne hundred and fifteen chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 115 CHB patients with hepatitis E (HE) superinfection were studied and compared. 74 liver tissue biopsy samples of the CHB and 51 of the CHB-HE sufferers were obtained. HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBc-IgG, anti-HBc-IgM, HBV DNA and anti-HEVIgM were detected respectively by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTSThe number of HBV DNA copies in sera in the CHB-HE group and the severity of the clinical features were significantly higher than those in the CHB group. The former group had a poorer prognosis with a 49.6% occurrence rate of severe hepatitis and a 25.2% death rate while in the latter group the corresponding rates were just 4.4% and 1.7%.
CONCLUSIONRe-infection with HEV, in those CHB patients, severely damaged their hepatic functions and increased their mortality; the older the patient and the higher the level of HBV DNA, the poorer the prognosis.