Hepatitis B virus or (and) hepatitis C virus infection promotes hepatic fibrosis in HIV/AIDS patients in Jiangxi, China

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) represent a set of intersecting global health challenges due to the fact that they all involve the same transmission routes. Co-infection with HBV and/or HCV among people living with HIV (PLHIV) has been demonstrated to be associated with accelerated liver disease progression. The present study examined the clinical implications of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Jiangxi, China. A total of 810 HIV-positive individuals were enrolled in the study. Serological testing via ELISA was used to detect HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies, while HBV DNA, HCV RNA, and HIV RNA levels were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. CD4+ T cell counts were subsequently analyzed using a technique known as flow cytometry. The results of the study indicated that the prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies in PLHIV was 12.8% and 8.3%, respectively. The prevalence of anti-HCV positivity was found to be significantly higher in the 31–50 age group compared to other age groups (P<0.0001). Injection drug use (IDU) was identified as the primary route of HIV transmission among co-infected patients, accounting for 62.7% of HCV co-infections and 6.9% of HBV co-infections. Co-infected individuals exhibited elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and accelerated liver fibrosis progression in comparison to HIV-mono-infected patients evaluated using APRI and FIB-4. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been demonstrated to effectively reduce HIV viral load and increase CD4+ counts after a six-month treatment period. In addition, a positive correlation between HIV and HBV viral loads was observed in the ART group (r = 0.324, p = 0.008) rather than in ART-naïve patients. IDU is the main route for HCV infection in HIV/AIDS patients. Co-infection with HBV and/or HCV significantly promoted hepatic fibrosis, while the present ART regimens were effective for both HIV and HBV. Consequently, it is recommended to monitor the hepatic fibrosis level in PLHIV who are co-infected with HBV and (or) HCV.