Clinico-Pathological Characteristics of HCV Coinfection in Chronic HBV Liver Diseases Patients in North-Central Nigeria

Introduction: Viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV) coinfection worsens patient diagnosis and management approach. Local clinical and pathological data provides a basic diagnostic information necessary for patient management. Hence, this study evaluated the clinico-pathological characteristics of HCV coinfection in chronic HBV liver disease patients.

Methodology: A total of 100 chronic HBV patients were enrolled into the study, with detailed demographic and clinical information documented into study database. Serodetection of HBsAg was determined by rapid immunochromatographic kit, and Anti-HCV by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)method. Haematological indices analysed using Systmex haematological analyser and biochemical profile, liver function tests by standard methods. The appropriate statistical method was applied in the analysis of study data.

Results: The 100 study patients comprised of 65% males and 35% females, male to a female ratio of 1.86:1, mean age of the coinfected patient was 42.0+8.8 years,with majority within the age-group of 41-50 years. Anti-HCV seroprevalence of 10%, 7(10.8%) males and 3(8.6%) females, M:F 1:2.3.Histological diagnosis of liver biopsies, 92% cases identified as chronic liver disease and 4% each as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma respectively. Anti-HCV detection in coinfected liver biopsies, 75% as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases, 25% as cirrhosis and 6.6% as chronic hepatitis. A significant association was observed between the severity of liver disease and degree of infection (p=0.01). Histological activity index score was significantly low in coinfected patients (5.2+4.2) compared with mono-infection (8.2+4.2) (p=0.01). There was a significant difference in the biochemical and haematological indices coinfected and monoinfected patients (<0.05).

Conclusion: The coinfection prevalence of 10% and the clinic-pathological picture were at variance with other Nigerian studies. The main findings revealed the concomitant contribution of both hepatic viruses to the development of chronic liver disease.