Association Between HIV-1 RNA Detection Status and HBV DNA Detection: A Patient-Level Retrospective Longitudinal Molecular Study from Istanbul, Türkiye

Background/Objectives: HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) share major transmission routes and may coexist in the same individual, making coordinated molecular assessment clinically important.

Methods

This retrospective longitudinal laboratory-based study evaluated the patient-level association between HIV-1 RNA detection and HBV DNA detection using routine molecular testing data from a tertiary-care hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye. HIV-1 RNA and HBV DNA results obtained between 1 January 2022 and 1 August 2026 were linked at the patient level. A total of 5303 unique patients had HIV-1 RNA testing and 30,981 unique patient records had HBV DNA testing; these were separate source populations, and 529 individuals with results available for both molecular assays constituted the primary analytical cohort.