title: Hepatitis C virus reinfection incidence and treatment outcome among HIV-positive MSM.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Liver disease secondary to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the context of HIV infection is one of the leading non-AIDS causes of death. Sexual transmission of HCV infection among HIV-positive MSM appears to be leading to increased reports of acute HCV infection. Reinfection after successful treatment or spontaneous clearance is reported among HIV-positive MSM but the scale of reinfection is unknown. We calculate and compare HCV reinfection rates among HIV-positive MSM after spontaneous clearance and successful medical treatment of infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of HIV-positive MSM with sexually acquired HCV who subsequently spontaneously cleared or underwent successful HCV treatment between 2004 and 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 191 individuals infected with HCV, 44 were reinfected over 562 person-years (py) of follow-up with an overall reinfection rate of 7.8/100 py [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.8-10.5]. Eight individuals were subsequently reinfected a second time at a rate of 15.5/100 py (95% CI 7.7-31.0). Combining all reinfections, 20% resulted in spontaneous clearance and treatment sustained viral response rates were 73% (16/22) for genotypes one and four and 100% (2/2) for genotypes two and three. Among 145 individuals with a documented primary infection, the reinfection rate was 8.0 per 100 py (95% CI 5.7-11.3) overall, 9.6/100 py (95% CI 6.6-14.1) among those successfully treated and 4.2/100 py (95% CI 1.7-10.0) among those who spontaneously cleared. The secondary reinfection rate was 23.2/100 py (95% CI 11.6-46.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite efforts at reducing risk behaviour, HIV-positive MSM who clear HCV infection remain at high risk of reinfection. This emphasizes the need for increased sexual education, surveillance and preventive intervention work.
authors.affiliation: aHIV Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London bSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol cSocial and Mathematical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas C S
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Natasha K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hickman
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vickerman
authors.forename: Emma E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Rhiannon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Gazzard
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome