Human immunodeficiency virus infection does not alter serum transaminases and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in homosexual patients with chronic HBV infection.

The influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on the clinical course of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is controversial. We followed a cohort of 64 homosexual men with persistent HBs antigenemia for a median of 24 months in the hepatitis clinic of a large urban public hospital. We divided the patients into three groups according to their immune status. Group 1 (n = 13) consisted of HIV-seropositive men with evidence of immunosuppression; group 2 (n = 17), HIV-positive patients without evidence of immunosuppression; and group 3 (n = 34), HIV-negative patients. We followed serum ALT and HBV DNA determinations. There was no difference in the demographic characteristics of the three groups. Group 1 had significantly lower levels of circulating T4 lymphocytes. We found no differences in the number and severity of episodes of HBV reactivation, serum ALT levels, or HBV DNA scores among the three groups. In each group, the percentage of patients with circulating HBV DNA was the same. We conclude that HIV infection apparently does not influence the markers of liver inflammation or HBV replication in homosexual men.