Seroprevalence of viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted disease among adults with recently diagnosed HIV infection in Southern Taiwan, 2000-2005: upsurge in hepatitis C virus infections among injection drug users.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the seroprevalence of viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted disease (STD) co-infections among three populations at risk recently diagnosed with HIV infection.


METHODS
A retrospective review of medical records was performed to determine the prevalence of several co-infections among adults recently diagnosed with HIV infection between 2000 and 2005 at National Cheng Kung University Hospital in Tainan, Taiwan.


RESULTS
Among a total of 484 adults, 124 (25.6%) were men having sex with men (MSM), 105 (21.7%) were heterosexual adults, and 255 (52.7%) were injection drug users (IDUs). The case number of adults with recently diagnosed HIV infection increased annually, from 27 in 2000 to 142 in 2005 (p < 0.001). This trend appeared to be attributable to the upsurge in HIV infection among IDUs beginning in 2003. At the time of HIV diagnosis, mean CD4+ counts were significantly higher and plasma HIV-1 RNA loads were lower in the IDU group than the MSM or heterosexual groups. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier rate was similar in all three groups, with an average rate of 16.5%. The prevalence of treponemal antibody and Entamoeba histolytica indirect hemagglutination antibody was higher in MSM (37.5% and 9.4%, respectively) than in heterosexuals (19.6% and 7.3%, respectively) or IDUs (3.2% and 2.1%). The seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus infection increased with age, with 94.2% (97/103) of patients who were older than 40 years. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) or HBV-HCV co-infections were noted more often in IDUs (97.9% and 16.9%, respectively) than in heterosexuals (10.9% and 2.2%, respectively) and MSM (5.3% and 3.6%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a recent upsurge in HIV-HCV co-infected IDUs in southern Taiwan. A higher rate of co-infection with STDs among HIV-infected MSM highlights the need for integrated STD control efforts in current HIV prevention programs.
Lee
Hsin-Chun
HC
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Ko
Nai-Ying
NY
Lee
Nan-Yao
NY
Chang
Chia-Ming
CM
Ko
Wen-Chien
WC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology