title: Lack of evidence of hepatitis C and HIV co-infection among men who have sex with men in Peru.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection occurs among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) because of shared routes of transmission. To assess the association between HCV and HIV infection among MSM in Peru, we conducted a matched case-control study (162 HIV-positive cases and 324 HIV-negative controls) among participants of an HIV sentinel surveillance survey in six urban cities. The HCV infection was initially screened using anti-HCV ELISA and immunoblot assay, and thereafter confirmed by the HCV RNA qualitative assay. Among cases, no confirmed HCV infection was found while among controls, only two confirmed HCV infections were reported (0.62%). This matched case-control reports a very low probability of association between HCV and HIV co-infection and suggests a very low prevalence of HCV infection among MSM in Peru.
authors: Investigaciones Medicas en Salud (INMENSA), Lima, Peru. jrlama@inmensa.org
authors: Javier R
authors: JR
authors: Lama
authors: Aldo
authors: A
authors: Lucchetti
authors: Cesar
authors: C
authors: Cabezas
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Suarez-Ognio
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012725:Sexual Behavior
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral