DRUG INDUCED HEPATITIS

DOES HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS C CO-INFECTION INCREASES THE RISK DURING ANTI TUBERCULOUS CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: We evaluated whether HBV +ve and HCV +ve patients are
at high risk for developing drug induced hepatitis than control subjects during treatment for
tuberculosis with standard short course regimens. Study design: Observational cohort study.
Place and duration: This study was conducted at Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of
Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro from May 2008 to May 2011. Material and Methods: All
newly diagnosed active tuberculosis patients were included in the study population and they
were further screened for hepatitis B surface antigen and HCV antibodies. All patients were
divided into three groups. One having no co-infection with hepatitis B and Hepatitis C and was
taken as control group, second group was co-infected with hepatitis B and third was co-infected
with hepatitis C. short course anti tuberculous regimen was started and patients were followed for
six months. Results: One hundred and twenty eight tuberculous patients were divided into three
groups. 92 in control groups without any co-infection with hepatitis B and C, 10 were HBV +ve
and 26 were HCV +ve. During follow up 24 developed drug induced hepatitis, 8(38.33%, n = 24)
in control group, 2(8.33%, n = 24) in hepatitis B group and 14(58.33%, n = 24) in hepatitis C
group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that treatment for tuberculosis in HCV seropositive
patients is a risk factor for the development of hepatitis exacerbation and HBV seropositive
patients shows no any increased risk of hepatitis exacerbation.