title: Frequent coinfection with hepatitis among HIV-positive patients in Urumqi, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the epidemiology and outcome for patients with HIV coinfected with hepatitis in comparison with monoinfected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the First Affiliated Hospital at Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi, China, 395 patients were diagnosed with HIV between 2001 and 2010. The main routes of transmission were sexual (30%) and intravenous drug use (33%). The patient records were studied retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 135 patients had markers of viral hepatitis (34.2%). Abnormal liver function was seen among 48.9% of these patients. Hepatitis B surface antigen was positive in 24 patients (6.1%), with 15 (3.8%) being hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA positive, none on tenofovir treatment, because it is still not provided free in Xinjiang. Hepatitis C antibodies were found in 98 patients (24.8%), 46 (11.6%) were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA positive. Only 1 patient had been treated with interferon and ribavirin. Both HBV and HCV were found in 13 (3.3%) of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly half of the HIV patients in Urumqi had markers of hepatitis. Only antiretroviral treatment is provided free, and most of the patients cannot afford the hepatitis treatment they need, which has to be addressed in the treatment programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Care, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China. krena95@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Rena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maimaiti
authors.forename: Yuexin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kejun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Maimaiti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wubuli
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral