Occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C liver disease

Patients with hepatitis C liver disease who do not respond to interferon therapy may have a hidden hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis B is considered occult, or hidden, when a patient tests negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen, yet has other markers for the disease. Researchers tested 200 patients with hepatitis C-associated cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, or other liver disease. Half of the patients had antibodies to the core antigen of the hepatitis B virus. Nearly half of the patients who did not respond to interferon alfa therapy had hepatitis B markers, while only 7 of 28 responsive patients had such markers.