Abstract: Objective To investigate the influences of HCV infection on occult HBV infection in patients infected with HIV-1.
Methods The study enrolled 178 HBsAg-negative treatment-naive HIV-1 patients who transmitted by commercial blood donation in an HIV/AIDS CARE site in Henan province. Many parameters were detected, including liver function, HBV serologic markers(HBsAg, Anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe and anti-HBc), HCV antibody, HBV DNA and HCV RNA. Analyses were performed to compare the differences of HBV etiological markers in antiHCV+ group, anti-HCV- group and different HCV RNA groups.
Results Among the 178 HBsAg-negative HIV-infected patients, 35 were HBV-M negative, 25 anti-HBs positive only, 25 anti-HBc positive only, 34 with both anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive. There were no significant differences in ages and gender between anti-HCV+ group and anti-HCV- group(P>0.05). There were significant differences in ALT and AST(P<0.05) but not total bilirubin between anti-HCV+ group and anti-HCV- group. There were no significant differences in HBV-M negative, isolated HBsAb positive only, isolated anti-HBc positive only, anti-HBs and anti-HBc double positive, HBV DNA positive between anti-HCV+ group and anti-HCV- group. There were no significant differences in HBV DNA positive rate between different HCV RNA groups(P>0.05).
Conclusion In the HIV-infected patients who transmitted by commercial blood donation, HCV infection and viral loads of HCV RNA had no correlation with incidence of occult HBV infection, but HCV co-infection could aggravate the liver damage.

Key words: human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, occult HBV infection