The clinical features of chronic hepatitis C are not affected by the coexistence of hepatitis B virus DNA in patients negative for hepatitis B surface antigen

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA has been detected in the sera of hepatitis pati ents who are negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The purpose of the present study was to clarify the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C who are negat ive for serum HBsAg and positive for HBV DNA, The subjects included 49 pati ents with chronic hepatitis C who were negative for serum HBsAg and 119 blo od donors who served as healthy controls, Serum samples were tested for the presence of HBV DNA by the nested PCR method. Serum HBV DMA was detected i n 18 (37.7%) of the 49 chronic hepatitis C patients and in none (0%) of the 119 blood donors, Among the hepatitis C patients, HBV DNA was detected in 20.7% of those who were negative for all HBV-associated markers and in 57.1 % of those who were positive for one or more HBV-associated marker, The HBV DNA-positive rate among those in each F stage did not significantly differ , The liver function parameters of the HBV DNA-positive and the HBV DNA-neg ative chronic hepatitis C patients did not only differ. These results sugge st that hepatitis C virus is frequently coinfected with serum HBsAg-negativ e HBV, and that the incidence of HBV infection in blood donors is low. Howe ver, it is considered that HBsAg-negative HBV infection does not modify the blood biochemical I features of chronic hepatitis C, Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.