title: Electronic matching of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C surveillance registries in three states.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be transmitted through percutaneous exposure to blood in similar high-risk populations. HCV and HIV/AIDS surveillance databases were matched in Colorado, Connecticut, and Oregon to measure the frequency of co-infection and to characterize coinfected people.
  
  
  METHODS
  We defined a case of HCV infection as a person with a reactive antibody for hepatitis C, medical diagnosis, positive viral-load test result, or positive genotype reported to any of three state health departments from the start of each state's hepatitis C registry through June 30, 2008. We defined a case of HIV/AIDS as a person diagnosed and living with HIV/AIDS at the start of each state's respective hepatitis C registry through June 30, 2008. HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C datasets were matched using Link King, public domain record linkage and consolidation software, and all potential matches were manually reviewed before acceptance as a match.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of reported hepatitis C cases co-infected with HIV/ AIDS was 1.8% in Oregon, 1.9% in Colorado, and 4.9% in Connecticut. Conversely, the proportion of HIV/AIDS cases co-infected with hepatitis C was consistently higher in the three states: 4.4% in Oregon, 9.7% in Colorado, and 23.6% in Connecticut.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electronic matching of registries is a potentially useful and efficient way to transfer information from one registry to another. In addition, it can provide a measure of the public health burden of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C co-infection and provide insight into prevention and medical care needs for respective states.
authors.affiliation: Connecticut Department of Public Health, HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis Surveillance Program, Hartford, CT 06134-0308, USA. Suzanne.speers@ct.gov
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Speers
authors.forename: R Monina
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Klevens
authors.forename: Candace
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vonderwahl
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daniloff
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Capizzi
authors.forename: Tasha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poissant
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roome
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors