Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV markers among intravenous drug abusers and subjects affected by chronic active hepatitis

Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 1990 Sep;66(9):841-7.

Abstract

In order to investigate the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in neapolitan area, we studied blood specimens of 180 IVDAs, 115 CAH patients and 72 healthy subjects using hepatitis B core (anti-HBs) and hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV). High frequency of anti-HBs (80.9%) and strong association with an unexpected seroprevalence of anti-HCV (67%) was found in CAH patients. Our study does not explain these results, but suggest either a possible inference between both viruses or that serum from CAH subjects contains a component that gives false positivity.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / analysis*
  • Hepatitis B / complications
  • Hepatitis B / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis B / immunology
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C / immunology
  • Hepatitis, Chronic / immunology
  • Hepatitis, Chronic / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Hepatitis Antibodies