Recent hepatitis C virus infections in HIV-infected patients in Taiwan: incidence and risk factors

J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Mar;50(3):781-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.06014-11. Epub 2011 Dec 21.

Abstract

Outbreaks of sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have been recently reported in HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) in Europe, Australia, and North America. Little is known concerning whether this also occurs in other Asia-Pacific countries. Between 1994 and 2010, a prospective observational cohort study was performed to assess the incidence of recent HCV seroconversion in 892 HIV-infected patients (731 MSM and 161 heterosexuals) who were not injecting drug users. A nested case-control study was conducted to identify associated factors with recent HCV seroconversion, and phylogenetic analysis was performed using NS5B sequences amplified from seroconverters. During a total followup duration of 4,270 person-years (PY), 30 patients (3.36%) had HCV seroconversion, with an overall incidence rate of 7.03 per 1,000 PY. The rate increased from 0 in 1994 to 2000 and 2.29 in 2001 to 2005 to 10.13 per 1,000 PY in 2006 to 2010 (P < 0.05). After adjustment for age and HIV transmission route, recent syphilis remained an independent factor associated with HCV seroconversion (odds ratio, 7.731; 95% confidence interval, 3.131 to 19.086; P < 0.01). In a nested case-control study, seroconverters had higher aminotranferase levels and were more likely to have CD4 ≥ 200 cells/μl and recent syphilis than nonseroconverters (P < 0.05). Among the 21 patients with HCV viremia, phylogenetic analysis revealed 7 HCV transmission clusters or pairs (4 within genotype 1b, 2 within genotype 2a, and 1 within genotype 3a). The incidence of HCV seroconversion that is associated with recent syphilis is increasing among HIV-infected patients in Taiwan.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Cohort Studies
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • Hepacivirus / classification
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology
  • Taiwan / epidemiology
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JQ060115
  • GENBANK/JQ060116
  • GENBANK/JQ060117
  • GENBANK/JQ060118
  • GENBANK/JQ060119
  • GENBANK/JQ060120
  • GENBANK/JQ060121
  • GENBANK/JQ060122
  • GENBANK/JQ060123
  • GENBANK/JQ060124
  • GENBANK/JQ060125
  • GENBANK/JQ060126
  • GENBANK/JQ060127
  • GENBANK/JQ060128
  • GENBANK/JQ060129
  • GENBANK/JQ060130
  • GENBANK/JQ060131
  • GENBANK/JQ060132
  • GENBANK/JQ060133
  • GENBANK/JQ060134
  • GENBANK/JQ060135
  • GENBANK/JQ060136