Cheng PN, Liu CJ, Chen CY, et al. - Researchers sought for a strategy that could aid in averting hepatitis B virus (HBV) virologic reactivation (HBVr) and clinical reactivation (CR) during direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HBV dual infection.

• Researchers enrolled a total of 56 non-cirrhotic patients with dual HCV/HBV infection and allocated them to one of three groups as 12-week DAA alone (Group 1), 12-week DAA plus 12-week entecavir (Group 2) or 12-week DAA plus 24-week entecavir (Group 3).

• Patients in Group 1 showed a significant rise in HBV DNA levels as early as 4 weeks after initiation of DAA; the rise persisted until the end of study.

• During DAA treatment, 50% of Group 1 had occurrence of HBVr vs 0% of Group 2 and 0% of Group 3.

• Based on findings, researchers support co-administration of a 12-week entecavir with DAA for HCV/HBV dually infected patients.