Active viral B hepatitis in parenteral drug abusers with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Active viral B hepatitis in parenteral drug abusers with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

J Assoc Acad Minor Phys. 1989;1(1):18-9, 22-3. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/92305599
Leevy CB; Nurse H; Kapila R

Abstract: Eighty-percent of 47 parenteral drug abusers with hepatomegaly and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome had HBV DNA in serum, although only 27% were HBsAg or e antigen-positive by polyclonal radioimmunoassay. Liver biopsies from each of 37 HBV DNA seropositive patients showed HBV DNA and were HBcAg-positive. The absence of positive HBsAg and e antigen in HBV DNA-positive patients was attributable to the presence of immune complexes; after in vitro dissociation of these complexes there was an increase in HBsAg from 24% to 86%, and of e antigen from 19% to 62%. These data indicate that actively replicating hepatitis B virus is common in patients with AIDS, and that precautions should be taken to prevent its dissemination. Therapy in these patients should address both human immunodeficiency and hepatitis B virus infections.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/BLOOD/*COMPLICATIONS Adult DNA, Viral/*BLOOD Female Hepatitis B/BLOOD/*COMPLICATIONS Hepatitis B Antibodies/BLOOD Hepatitis B Virus/*GENETICS Human Male Middle Age Substance Abuse, Intravenous/BLOOD/*COMPLICATIONS Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. JOURNAL ARTICLEKWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/blood/KWDcomplicationsadultdna,viral/KWDbloodfemalehepatitisb/blood/KWDcomplicationshepatitisbantibodies/bloodhepatitisbvirus/KWDgeneticshumanmalemiddleagesubstanceabuse,intravenous/blood/KWDcomplicationssupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,pKWDhKWDsKWDjournalarticle
921030
M92A1025

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