Fig. 4

Serum miR-122 and HBV DNA levels in patients with HBV and HEV dual infection. Scatter plots of (a) serum miR-122 levels and (b) HBV DNA levels in healthy NPR women & men (NPR, n = 25), HBsAg+ antiHBc-IgM+ HEV- (HBV acute, n = 7), HBsAg+ antiHBc-IgM- (HBsAg carriers, n = 8), hepatitis E patients co-infected with HBV (HBV + HEV, n = 13), HBsAg carriers super-infected with HEV (HBsAg carrier + HEV, n = 33). Circulating miR-122 levels and HBV DNA copies were are expressed as log10 of miR-122 copies ml-1 and HBV viral DNA copies ml-1 serum. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the statistical significance. p < 0.05 was considered to be significant