Progression of liver fibrosis in monoinfected patients by hepatitis C virus and coinfected by HCV and human immunodeficiency virus.

Context: The progression of liver fibrosis in patients coinfected by hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HCV/HIV) has been increasingly studied in the past decade. Studies made before the highly active antiretroviral therapy suggest that HIV can change the natural history of the HCV infection, leading to a faster progression of the liver fibrosis.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the fibrosis progression in two groups of patients (HCV/HIV coinfected and HCV monoinfected)

Methods: Seventy patients HCV monoinfected and 26 patients HCV/HIV coinfected who had not undertaken HCV treatment and were submitted to serial percutaneous liver biopsies were retrospectively evaluated.

Whipple's disease: rare disorder and late diagnosis.

Whipple's disease is a rare systemic infectious disorder caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient who presented to emergency room complaining of asthenia, arthralgia, anorexia, articular complaints intermittent diarrhea, and a 10-kg weight loss in one year. Laboratory tests showed the following results: Hb = 7.

Hepatitis C in hemodialysis: the contribution of injection drug use.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common cause of acute or chronic hepatitis in patients on hemodialysis (HD). The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of positive HCV RNA and investigate injection drug use as an emerging risk factor in patients with chronic renal disease on HD.

Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study with 325 patients with chronic renal disease on HD in the period between August 1, 2005 to August 30, 2006, receiving care at four institutions in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil.

[Evaluation of the cellular immunity in patients coinfected by the hepatitis C virus and the human immunodeficiency virus].

Background: The immune activation provoked by the hepatitis C virus can be deleterious in patients with human immunodeficiency virus, favouring the destruction of CD4 cells. By the other side, the immune restoration observed after the onset of antiretroviral therapy can be partially obscured in patients with the hepatitis C virus.

Aim: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of coinfection by hepatitis C virus and the human immunodeficiency virus in the cellular immunity.

[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: impact of microbiological changes].

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a serious complication in cirrhotic patients, and the changes in the microbiological characteristics reported in the last years are impacting the choice of antibiotic used in the treatment.

Aim: To evaluate the change in the epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of the bacteria causing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in a 7 years period.

Methods: All the cases of cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with positive cultural examination were retrospectively studied.

Esophageal ulcers caused by reactivation of ganglionary tuberculosis: a case report.

The involvement of the esophagus in tuberculosis (TB) is extremely rare. This is a case report of an immunocompetent male patient, who presented ganglionary TB reactivation, with the development of extensive esophageal ulcers. The endoscopic approach made the diagnosis possible and there was a total resolution of the symptoms after the treatment.

Impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection in patients infected with the hepatitis C virus.

Background/aims: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: Three different groups of patients were considered: group 1, 385 HCV/HIV coinfected; group 2, 198 HIV monoinfected; and group 3, 311 HCV monoinfected. Demographic and epidemiological data were collected.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus in alcoholic patients: role of parenteral risk factors.

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is elevated in alcoholic patients, but the risk factors are unclear. The role of parenteral risk factors are indeterminated in this population.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in alcoholic patients admitted to a detoxification unit and to evaluate the presence of underlying parenteral risk factors.

Intranasal cocaine use does not appear to be an independent risk factor for HCV infection.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of HCV infection among intranasal cocaine users and evaluate underlying parental risk factors.

Design, Setting And Participants: A cross-sectional study evaluated prospectively 60 patients admitted to a chemical dependency unit.

Measurements: A standardized questionnaire was designed to obtain epidemiological data.