Seroprevalence of HBV/HCV coinfection among patients with HCV screened during the national campaign for HCV eradication in Egypt

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) have several similarities, including the considerable diffusion worldwide, modes of transmission, hepato-tropism, and ability to induce chronic infection [1], [2], [3]. Therefore, it is not surprising that combined infection is a frequent occurrence particularly in highly endemic areas and among individuals with a high risk of parenteral infections4. Studies have reported that HBV/HCV coinfection is associated with an increased risk of worse clinical outcomes, including advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis, decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, and transplantation, thanHCV mono-infection [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11].

The estimated prevalence of HBV/HCV coinfection is approximately 5%–20% in patients with positive HBsAg and 2%–10% in patients with positive HCV, with a relatively different geographical distribution [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12]. A large cohort study conducted in the United States (US) by Tyson et al. [4] in patients with positive HCV has shown a 1.4% prevalence of overt HBV coinfection. Reported risk factors for HBV–HCV coinfection include older age, male sex, Asian ethnicity, injection drug use (IDU), a high number of sexual partners, and HIV infection; however, not all of these risk factors have been consistently established [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11].

The awareness of the prevalence and predictors of HBV coinfection has implications for the screening and prevention of viral hepatitis. Moreover, understanding the epidemiology of HBV/HCV coinfection is important, considering the potential for worse clinical outcomes in this group of patients.

This multicenter nationwide study aimed to assess the seroprevalence and possible risk factors for HBV among Egyptian patients with chronic HCV during the national campaign for HCV eradication.

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