Cover image of the article: Hepatitis B Virus / Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection and Its Hepatocarcinogenic Potential in Sub-Saharan Black Africans

Image Credit:Hepat Mon

Hepatitis B Virus / Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection and Its Hepatocarcinogenic Potential in Sub-Saharan Black Africans

Authors

Michael C. Kew2,*
2Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, South Africa
*Corresponding Author: Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, and Department of Medicine, Johannesburg Academic Hospital and University of the Witwatersrand, michael.kew@uct.ac.za, South Africa. Tel: +27-217822949. Fax: +27-214486815. Email: michael.kew@uct.ac.za

Hepatitis Monthly:Vol. 12, issue 10; 7876
Published online:Oct 30, 2012
Article type:Review Article
Received:Jul 12, 2012
Accepted:Aug 02, 2012
How to Cite:Kew M. Hepatitis B Virus / Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection and Its Hepatocarcinogenic Potential in Sub-Saharan Black Africans. Hepat Mon. 2012;12(10):7876. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/hepatmon.7876

Abstract

Context:

Since the introduction of highly active anti-retroviral regimen for human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection, a significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma has been reported in patients already chronically infected with hepatitis B virus and then given this form of regimen for their retroviral infection.

Evidence Acquisition:

This phenomenon was initially attributed to the far more prolonged survival of those patients who received this new regimen, which provided sufficient time, allowing hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma to develop.

Results:

The current belief is that the increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is because of co-infection with the two viruses, one known to be hepatocarcinogenic and the other suspected to increase the carcinogenic potential of the other. Because both hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus -1 are endemic in the Black population of sub-Saharan Africa and are transmitted in similar ways, as many as 20% of this population are co-infected with the two viruses. In this way, the already high risk of Black African patients developing hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma is further increased.

Conclusions:

The pathogenetic mechanism or mechanisms involved in the carcinogenic interaction between the hepatitis B virus and the human immunodeficiency virus-1 in sub-Saharan Black Africans and other populations co-infected with these viruses have yet to be determined.

Highlights

Full Text

Full text is available in PDF

Copyright

© 2012, Author(s). This open-access article is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which allows for unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

Similar Articles

11
Dec
2016
Clinical Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa

Clinical Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa

Hatef Massoumi,
Kathleen Buchheit,
Srinivas Gunturu,
Ju-En Thlick,
Paul Gaglio

Massoumi H, Buchheit K, Gunturu S, Thlick J, Gaglio P. Clinical Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa. Hepat Mon. 2017;17(4):e12305. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/hepatmon.41781

31
Jan
2011
Occult hepatitis B virus infection: A major concern in HIV-infected patients

Occult hepatitis B virus infection: A major concern in HIV-infected patients

Amitis Ramezani,
Mohammad Banifazl,
Minoo Mohraz,
Mehrnaz Rasoolinejad,
Arezoo Aghakhani

Ramezani A, Banifazl M, Mohraz M, Rasoolinejad M, Aghakhani A. Occult hepatitis B virus infection: A major concern in HIV-infected patients. Hepat Mon. 2011;11(1):. doi:

30
Jul
2025
Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Caused by HIV/HBV Co-infection: A Case Report

Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Caused by HIV/HBV Co-infection: A Case Report

Chaoliang Li,
Yuanmei Che,
Yi Zhang,
Nengwen Xie,
Biao Wang,
Huanhuan Shi
,et al.

Li C, Che Y, Zhang Y, Xie N, Wang B, et al. Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Caused by HIV/HBV Co-infection: A Case Report. Hepat Mon. 2025;25(1):e154285. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/hepatmon-154285

15
Nov
2016
Study of Genotype, Subtype and Mutation in the S Gene in Hepatitis B Patients Co-infected with HIV in Iran

Study of Genotype, Subtype and Mutation in the S Gene in Hepatitis B Patients Co-infected with HIV in Iran

Chiman Karami,
Ahmad H Adli,
Sareh Zhand,
Alijan Tabarraei,
Reza Talei,
Mohsen Saeidi
,et al.

Karami C, H Adli A, Zhand S, Tabarraei A, Talei R, et al. Study of Genotype, Subtype and Mutation in the S Gene in Hepatitis B Patients Co-infected with HIV in Iran. Jundishapur J Microbiol. 2016;9(12):e34009. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/jjm.34009

20
Apr
2020
Prevalence of HBV/HCV Co-Infection and Associated Risk Factors in People Living with HIV

Prevalence of HBV/HCV Co-Infection and Associated Risk Factors in People Living with HIV

Sevtap Senoglu,
Zuhal Yesilbag,
Hayat Kumbasar Karaosmanoglu,
Ozlem Altuntas Aydin

Senoglu S, Yesilbag Z, Kumbasar Karaosmanoglu H, Altuntas Aydin O. Prevalence of HBV/HCV Co-Infection and Associated Risk Factors in People Living with HIV. Hepat Mon. 2020;20(4):e98594. doi: https://doi.org/10.5812/hepatmon.98594

More by these authors

Michael KewPubMedScholar
Share
Cited by
Metrics