[Research progress of hepatitis B and C virus co-infection]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection shares the same transmission routes, and thereby it is not rare in regions where the prevalence of HBV and HCV is high. However, the co-infection rates of HBV/HCV reported in different regions of the world are relatively dissimilar, and the co-infection rates of HBV/HCV in the population are unidentified due to the presence of silent HBV infection. Thus, the phenomenon of underestimation exists. HCV may have an inhibitory effect on HBV replication when HBV/HCV is co-infected, and the effect of HBV on HCV replication remains to be certain by more studies. Furthermore, the mechanism of interaction may include the direct effect of viral proteins and the indirect effect of immune mediated host response. HBV/HCV co-infection can cause more serious chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis, and can increase the risk of liver cancer. The efficacy of peginterferon plus ribavirin in patients with HBV/HCV co-infection is same as HCV monotherapy. There are few studies on the efficacy of direct-acting antiviral drugs. Patients with HBV/HCV co-infection have the risk of HBV reactivation regardless of anti-HCV treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin or direct-acting antiviral drugs, but the probability of HBV reactivation and how to assess and prevent it needs more studies to interpret.由于相似的传播途径，乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）/丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）合并感染在HBV及HCV高流行地区并不少见，但世界范围内HBV/HCV合并感染率不同地区报道的数据差异较大，且由于隐匿性HBV感染的存在，人群中HBV/HCV合并感染率可能存在被低估的现象。HBV/HCV合并感染时HCV可能对HBV复制存在抑制作用，而HBV对HCV的复制的影响还有待更多的研究去证实，这其中相互作用的机制，可能包含病毒蛋白的直接作用以及宿主免疫反应介导的间接作用。HBV/HCV合并感染可发生更为严重的慢性肝病和肝硬化，且可增加肝癌发生的危险性。HBV/HCV合并感染患者使用聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗方案的疗效与HCV单独感染者相似，使用直接抗病毒药物的疗效目前相关研究较少。HBV/HCV合并感染患者无论抗HCV治疗接受聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗或直接抗病毒药物治疗，均存在HBV再激活的风险，但是HBV再激活的概率以及如何评估及防范尚需要更多的研究去阐明。.