People with HIV and hepatitis B or C virus co-infection are more likely
to progress to end-stage liver disease (ESLD), or liver failure, than those
with HIV alone, and individuals triply infected with all three viruses face the
greatest risk, according to study findings presented at the recent Conference on
Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2015) in
Seattle, USA.
Due to
overlapping transmission routes, many people with HIV also have hepatitis B
virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or both. Over years or decades, chronic
hepatitis B or C can cause serious liver disease including cirrhosis, liver
cancer, and potentially liver failure and the need for a liver transplant. In
addition to viral hepatitis, other factors such as drug toxicity and heavy
alcohol consumption can also contribute to serious liver damage.
Prior
research has shown that HBV- and HCV-related liver disease progression is more
rapid and possibly more severe in people with HIV. Since the advent of
effective antiretroviral treatment (ART), as fewer people with HIV succumbed to
opportunistic infections and other AIDS complications, liver disease has become
a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population.
Read more... Labels: CROI 2015, end-stage liver disease, HIV-HCV coinfection, HIV/HBV coinfection