ABSTRACT
Acute viral hepatitis, the characteristic inflammation of the liver, can be caused by many infectious and non-infectious agents, but the most common causes are viruses. Several
Introduction People who are vulnerable to infection with HIV are also at an increased risk of being infected with hepatitis (hepatotropic) viruses, as the ‘at-risk behaviours’ that lead to exposure for these enterically, parenterally and sexually transmitted viruses are similar. It is not surprising, therefore, that both acute and chronic viral hepatitis commonly occurs in people living with HIV disease, adding to their burden of ill-health and increasing the complexity of their treatment. An understanding of the issues associated with HIV and hepatotropic virus co-infection is important in developing sound nursing prevention and care strategies and in the early identification of complications associated with treatment or disease progression.
