Seroprevalence, Clinical Profiles, and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B and C Virus Co-Infections among Chronic Liver Disease Patients

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences | Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2024 | pp. 65–72

DOI: 10.46882/2024/IJMMS/140065

Original Research Article

Seroprevalence, Clinical Profiles, and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B and C Virus Co-Infections among Chronic Liver Disease Patients

Patrick O. Diallo¹, Cynthia U. Nwachukwu², Jean-Pierre B. Diop¹*

¹Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal.

²Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.

Abstract:

Dual infection with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) accelerates the progression of liver fibrosis, increasing the risk of hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This cross-sectional clinical study investigated the seroprevalence, specific laboratory profiles, and epidemiological risk factors of HBV/HCV co-infection among patients with established chronic liver disease (CLD). Blood samples from 350 CLD patients were screened for Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies using a third-generation Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), followed by quantification of viral loads using real-time PCR. The seroprevalence of isolated HBV infection was 42.9% (150/350), isolated HCV was 18.6% (65/350), and confirmed HBV/HCV co-infection was identified in 5.1% (18/350) of the patients. Patients with dual co-infection presented with significantly higher mean levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (112.5 ± 24.6 U/L) and total bilirubin (45.8 ± 12.4 μmol/L) compared to those with monoinfections (p < 0.01). Advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class C) was significantly more frequent in the co-infected cohort (44.4% vs. 18.3%, p < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression modeling demonstrated that a history of multiple blood transfusions prior to 2000 (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.5–7.8, p < 0.01) and traditional scarification practices (OR = 2.8, p < 0.05) were independent risk factors for co-infection. HBV/HCV co-infection causes severe biochemical disruptions and accelerates liver injury, highlighting the importance of screening all CLD patients for both viruses to guide timely antiviral interventions.

Keywords: Chronic Liver Disease, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Co-infection, Alanine Aminotransferase, Liver Cirrhosis

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 15, 2024; Revised: July 22, 2024; Accepted: August 14, 2024; Published: September 13, 2024.

Citation: Diallo PO, Nwachukwu CU, Diop JPB. Seroprevalence, Clinical Profiles, and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B and C Virus Co-Infections among Chronic Liver Disease Patients. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2024, 14(9): 65–72. DOI: 10.46882/2024/IJMMS/140065

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