Long-term serologic follow-up of isolated hepatitis B core antibody in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women.

French AL, Lin MY, Evans CT, Benning L, Glesby MJ, Young MA, Operskalski EA, Augenbraun M, Peters M. Long-term serologic follow-up of isolated hepatitis B core antibody in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 2009 Jul 1; 49(1):148-54.

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Isolated antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) is a common serologic finding in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but the outcome and clinical significance are uncertain. METHODS: We performed repeated hepatitis B virus (HBV) serologic tests on women who participated in the Women's Interagency HIV Study and who had isolated anti-HBc at study entry. RESULTS: Repeated serologic tests were performed for 322 women (282 HIV-infected and 40 HIV-uninfected) at a median of 7.5 years after study entry. Seventy-one percent of women retained isolated anti-HBc serologic status, 20% acquired antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), and 2% acquired hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). In unadjusted analysis, increasing age, injection drug use, and hepatitis C viremia were negatively associated with acquisition of anti-HBs. For HIV-infected women, predictors of acquisition of anti-HBs were an increase in CD4 cell count and the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Receipt of drugs with activity against HBV and self-reported HBV vaccination did not predict anti-HBs acquisition. In the multivariable regression model, HAART use remained a significant predictor of anti-HBs acquisition, whereas women with hepatitis C viremia were more likely to retain isolated anti-HBc serologic status. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated anti-HBc status remained stable over time for the majority of women, especially women with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Development of anti-HBs was predicted by HAART use and an increase in CD4 cell count. We conclude that a proportion of HIV-infected women with isolated anti-HBc have prior natural HBV infection with anti-HBs that is at an undetectable level because of immune dysfunction. Isolated anti-HBc in the presence of chronic hepatitis C virus infection may be attributable to a different phenomenon, such as dysfunctional antibody production.