HCV/HBV co-infection most frequently occurs in specific high-risk populations.
The present study was aimed to determine the Clinical, laboratory and virological characteristics of patients with hepatitis C and B co-infection. This study included 72 patients with positive both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) and HCV Abs. Clinical data, laboratory and imaging data were collected. Quantitative HBV-DNA polymerase chain reaction (HBV-DNA-PCR) and HCV-RNA-PCR assays results were studied. For comparative purposes, two matched groups of mono-infection were included as control groups. Liver cirrhosis was found in 30.6% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and B virus co-infection, but only in 3.7% of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and 5% of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatocellular carcinoma was found in 13.9% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and B virus co-infection, and only in 2.5% of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.HCV PCR was positive in 75% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and B virus co-infection and in 93.7% of patients with chronic hepatitis C alone, while HBV PCR was positive in only 4.2% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and B virus co-infection and in 73.7% of patients with chronic hepatitis B alone.