Hepatitis C Coinfection Among People Living with HIV in a University Hospital in Istanbul

Abstract

Objectives: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected millions of people throughout the world and may co-exist with other infections due to common ways of transmission. In our study, we aim to assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection among people living with HIV (PLWH) as well as infection transmission ways, treatment responses of the treated patients. Materials and Methods: Five hundred thirty PLWH were included in the study, monitored in our clinic between 2014 and 2020. Age, gender, education level, date of diagnosis and follow-up period, transmission ways, clinical observations and anti-HCV data of patients were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of the subjects 92.3% (n=489) were males, and 7.7% (n=41) were females. 1.7% (n=9) of patients were detected with anti-HCV positivity. 0.6% (n=3) of the anti-HIV positive patients had active hepatitis C infection. Anti-HCV positivity was found to be 65 times higher in injecting drug users. Conclusion: There is no vaccine or post-exposure prophylaxis to protect against HCV. Therefore, HCV has to be monitored in followup visits for PLWH, risk factors should be identified, and the patients should be raised awareness of transmission and protection ways. Immediately started antiviral treatment when diagnosed with HCV. Antiviral therapy should be immediately started when HCV is diagnosed.