Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are blood-borne viruses with shared transmission routes, often leading to coinfection. Coinfection increases the risk of severe morbidity, non-hepatic organ dysfunction, and death compared to single infections. Treating coinfected patients is challenging due to side effects, drug resistance, and hepatotoxicity. Diagnosing, treating, and controlling dual infections is complex, requiring further research. This review covers the prevalence, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of dual infections with HIV, HBV, and HCV.

Coinfection impacts the course of each virus, leading to more severe liver illnesses and increased cancer risk. Coinfecting HIV with HBV or HCV worsens liver disease, while dual HBV-HCV infection raises the risk of fulminant hepatic failure, cirrhosis, and cancer. Diagnosing these coinfections involves serological tests, liver function tests, and imaging studies. Treatment is complex due to potential viral reactivation during therapy and typically involves antiviral medications or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Future strategies, including CRISPR-Cas9-based therapies and vaccines, offer promising avenues for managing these coinfections.

Reference: Shahriar S, Araf Y, Ahmad R, et al. Insights Into the Coinfections of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Hepatitis B Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Hepatitis C Virus, and Hepatitis B Virus-Hepatitis C Virus: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Front Microbiol. 2022 Feb 3;12:780887. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.780887. Erratum in: Front Microbiol. 2023 Aug 01;14:1253124. PMID: 35222296; PMCID: PMC8865087.