title: Co-infection with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus among patients with sexually transmitted diseases in Pondicherry, South India.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is usually transmitted by blood and blood products is emerging as an important agent in the list of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The present study was undertaken to document the burden of HCV infection in individuals with STDs in this tertiary care hospital in South India. One hundred serum samples collected from individuals with STDs were tested for antibodies to HCV by a third generation ELISA. All the samples were also screened for HIV infection. Six out of 100 individuals were found to possess antibodies against HCV (95% confidence interval [CI=1.3-10.7%). Fourteen out of 100 samples were positive for HIV (95% CI=7-20.9%). The seroprevalence of HCV in HIV positive individuals was 21.4% (3/14) whereas the corresponding figure for HIV negative individuals was only 3.5% (3/86). The difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badrinath
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamide
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sujatha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology