Demosthenes, JPSachithanandham, JFletcher, GJZachariah, UGVarghese, GMJohn Daniel, HDJeyaseelan, LAbraham, PKannangai, R2020-04-232020-04-232019-06Demosthenes JP, Sachithanandham J, Fletcher GJ, Zachariah UG, Varghese GM, John Daniel HD, Jeyaseelan L, Abraham P, Kannangai R. Characteristics of treatment-naïve HBV-infected individuals with HIV-1 coinfection: A cross-sectional study from South India. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2019 Jun; 37(2): 219-2240255-08571998-3646http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/198862Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection has become a major health problem across the globe. The increased life expectancy of HIV-1 patients due to antiretroviral therapy has led to the emergence of liver disease as a major mortality factor among them. The purpose of the study was to examine the baseline characteristics of HBV in treatment-naïve HBV/HIV coinfection from southern India compared to monoinfected individuals. Materials and Methods: The study was cross sectional in design, and samples were examined from 80 HIV-1, 70 HBV and 35 HBV/HIV-coinfected individuals using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay, real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry assays. Results: There was a significant increase in HBV DNA (P = 0.0001), higher hepatitis B e antigen percentage difference (P = 0.027) and lower CD4 counts (P = 0.01) among the HBV/HIV-coinfected individuals, but no difference in the HIV-1 viral load compared to HIV-1-monoinfected individuals. Also, the aspartate aminotransferase levels, prothrombin time and the international normalised ratio were significantly high among coinfected individuals. Conclusion: These findings conclude that HIV-1 coinfection can have serious implications on the outcome of HBV-related liver disease. To the contrary, HBV infection had no consequence on the progression of HIV-1 disease but distinctly lowered CD4+ T-cells.Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio indexCD4 T cellfibrosis-4hepatitis B virushuman immunodeficiency virus-1viral loadJournal ArticleIndiaDepartment of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Hepatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India