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- Title
High Rates of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in HIV-Positive Individuals Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy in Botswana.
- Authors
Ryan, Kathleen; Anderson, Motswedi; Gyurova, Ivayla; Ambroggio, Lilliam; Moyo, Sikhulile; Sebunya, Teresa; Makhema, Joseph; Marlink, Richard; Essex, Max; Musonda, Rosemary
- Abstract
Background Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–negative but hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA-positive infection—known as occult hepatitis B infection (OBI)—occurs in 1% to >15% of HIV-positive individuals in the United States and South Africa, respectively. However, there are no data on OBI from Botswana, a country known to be hyperendemic for chronic HBV infection and to have a significant HIV burden. Methods Two hundred seventy-two adults enrolled in an HIV treatment study of tenofovir/emtricitabine as the nucleoside backbone who were previously determined to be HBsAg negative were tested for HBV DNA at baseline and 1 year after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Results HBV DNA was detected in 72 of 272 (26.5%). Six individuals (8.3%) had HBV DNA levels greater than 200 IU/mL, and the highest viral load was 3280 IU/mL. Of 65 participants with OBI evaluated at 12 months after initiating HAART, only 1 (1.5%) had detectable HBV DNA. Conclusions Occult HBV infection is quite common in HIV-infected patients in Botswana, although its impact on the course of HIV disease progression is unknown. The suppression of occult HBV DNA levels by tenofovir/emtricitabine suggests an effective therapeutic option, although the long-term suppressive abilities remain unstudied.
- Subjects
BOTSWANA; HIV infection complications; EMTRICITABINE; TENOFOVIR; ANTIGENS; HEPATITIS B; HIV infections; HIGHLY active antiretroviral therapy; THERAPEUTICS
- Publication
Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2017, Vol 4, Issue 4, pN.PAG
- ISSN
2328-8957
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/ofid/ofx195