Hepatitis B and C virus infection in patients with Systemic and Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) are autoimmune conditions with complex origins.
• Understanding the prevalence of viral infections like Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is crucial for managing these diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of HCV and HBV infections in patients with SLE and CLE.
• To explore potential associations between these viral infections and clinical features or disease activity in lupus patients.

Main Methods:

• Assessed the frequency of HCV (anti-HCV positive) and HBV (HBsAg positive, anti-HBc positive) infections in cohorts of SLE and CLE patients.
• Analyzed correlations between viral infection status and clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and disease activity scores.

Main Results:

• Chronic HBV infection (HBsAg positivity) was observed in 2.2% of CLE patients, but not in SLE patients.
• HCV infection (anti-HCV positivity) was found in 2.2% of SLE patients, but not in CLE patients.
• Hemodialysis was significantly associated with anti-HBc positivity in SLE patients. No significant association was found between anti-HBc status and clinical features or disease activity in either group.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests a potential protective role of SLE against HBV infection, as evidenced by the absence of HBsAg positivity in SLE patients.
• A higher prevalence of HCV infection in SLE patients compared to CLE patients indicates a possible involvement of HCV in specific clinical and immunological aspects of SLE.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the interplay between HCV, HBV, and different lupus erythematosus subtypes.