Historical study of acute hepatitis B in subjects with or without hepatitis C infection

BackgroundThe epidemiological pattern of hepatitis B virus infection in Italy has greatly changed over the past decades. The aim of the study was to evaluate during time the epidemiological features of acute hepatitis B cases referred to an Infectious Disease Unit in North-East of Italy between 1978 and 1995.Patients and methodsStored sera of 183 cases were tested for HBV markers, HBV genotypes, anti-Delta and anti-HCV.ResultsAnti-HBcIgM was positive in all cases. Mean age increased from 30.2 years in 1978 to 37.5 in 1995 (P < 0.01). Significant increase was observed in proportion of cases reporting intravenous drug use from 11.5% to 29.6% (P < 0.03). Chronicity rate was as low as 1.1%. Mean days of hospitalization significantly decreased. HBV genotype determination showed that majority of cases was infected by genotype D, but its prevalence decreased from 88.2% in 1978 to 75.0% in 1995. Delta coinfection was present in 8.2%. The prevalence of HCV in patients with acute HBV was 35.0%; it fluctuated from 26.2% to 44.2%, mostly related (53.1%) to intravenous drug use. Dual infection did not lead to a more severe course of disease.ConclusionsFrom this retrospective study, remarkable fluctuations in the prevalence of dual HBV–HCV infection before the implementation of HBV vaccination were observed. Presence of anti-HCV did not affect the course of acute HBV.