Hepatitis B is More Severe in HIV Infection

Up to recently it was believed that liver diseasecaused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) was less severein HIV co-infected persons, since hepaticdamage in HBV carriers is mainly immunomediated,and inflammatory lesions are reduced in situationsof immunodeficiency, as occurs in HIV infection.In accordance, chronic hepatitis B in HIV-infectedpersons typically presents lower transaminaselevels, despite serum HBV DNA titers beingmuch higher. The latter is due to the lack of controlover hepatitis virus replication in immunosuppressedconditions. In summary, HBV could bemore transmissible but less damaging in HBV/HIVco-infected individuals.