Management of hepatitis B and hepatitis C coinfection: an expert review

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections share common routes of transmission. HBV/HCV coinfection can lead to interactions affecting mechanisms of infection and therapy.

Areas covered

In the review, we present epidemiology of HBV/HCV coinfection and current therapeutic options for both viruses. The possibility of drug–drug interactions during the treatment of coinfected patients is discussed. However, the major part of the review is dedicated to interactions between viruses and risk of HBV reactivation during HCV treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAA). Finally, we analyze available international and national guidelines for the management of HBV reactivations related to DAA administration.

Expert opinion

The most important international societies’ guidelines include comments on HBV/HCV coinfection, but due to their inconsistency we present a proposal of management for HBV/HCV coinfected patients focusing mostly on HBV reactivation in patients treated for HCV. We provide some advice that should be considered in future guidelines for the management of HBV/HCV coinfection.

KEYWORDS:

• Coinfection
• HBV
• HCV
• liver
• management
• therapy

Table

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.