Review Articles On Hepatitis B Infections In HIV Infection
Approximately 10% of the HIV-infected population worldwide is infected with
hepatitis B. This figure may approach 20% in Southeast Asia, and 5% in North America and Western Europe. Worldwide prevalence of HBV coinfection could be estimated to be 5%–10% in persons living with HIV infection.
In the U.S., Western Europe and Australia, the prevalence of chronic
hepatitis B was reported to be 5%-14% among HIV-positive individuals.
Since both HIV and the
hepatitis B virus share similar transmission routes, it is not surprising that there is a high frequency of coinfection. Sexual activity and/or injection drug use are the most common routes of transmission of the
hepatitis B virus among those also infected with HIV.
While
highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically improved the lives of those with HIV, the consequences of associated illnesses such as
hepatitis B coinfections have become more relevant.
Therefore, the adequate management of
hepatitis B and C is now being considered a priority in HIV-coinfected patients.
There are three main reasons for considering HBV therapy as a priority in HBV/HIV coinfected patients:
First, liver disease may progress more rapidly in those patients co-infected with HBV/HIV and could lead to serious liver disease complications such as
cirrhosis and liver
cancer at younger ages.
Second, there is a higher risk of developing
hepatotoxicity following the initiation of
antiretroviral therapy in HIV patients co-infected with HBV than in patients infected with HIV alone.
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