Case report. Hepatitis B virus and HIV coinfection

Coinfection with HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) is more common than that with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), although more attention has been given to HCV coinfection as a result of its higher frequency of chronic disease. Natural history studies with HIV-HCV coinfection have also shown more rapid progression of liver disease, and end-stage liver disease due to hepatitis C is now a leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients. Like HCV infection, HBV infection can also be associated with significant morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV infection. Fortunately, treatment options of hepatitis B are expanding and may have a clinical impact on slowing disease progression. A case study of a patient with severe HBV-HIV coinfection is presented to illustrate what is known about this increasingly problematic disease state.