title: Sexual Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Between HIV Infected Subjects and Their Main Heterosexual Partners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overall, 60-70% of the hepatitis c virus (HCV) transmission routes is parenteral, and in 30-40% of the cases is unknown (e.g. sexual route). Knowing these routes in HIV infected dyads is very important due to clinical and methodological reasons.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to identify and quantitatively investigate HIV-infected individuals and their main heterosexual partners regarding the risk factors of HCV transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixty eight of 984 couples were chosen through random generated numbers using a computer program from behavioral consultation center in Shiraz, Iran. We used actor partner independent model (APIM) and multilevel analysis to assess multiple risk factors for HCV, while partitioning the source of risk at the individual and couple levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age of the index samples was 38.71 ± 7 years, and 33.2 ± 6.3 for their main heterosexual partners; the mean duration of sexual relationship for couples was 11.9 (median = 8.5) years. Multivariate analysis showed that actor risk factor of intravenous drug using (IDU) (AOR= 13.03; 95% CI: 3.9- 43.82) and actor cofactors of HIV positivity (AOR = 7.1; 95% CI: 1.37- 36.97), razor sharing (AOR = 4.81; 95% CI: 1.84- 12.55), sex (AOR = 8.83; 95% CI: 3.16- 24.87), and condom use in sexual activity with main partner (AOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.02- 0.44) were associated with actor HCV positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care providers need to pay special attention to sexual transmission of HCV among HIV-infected individuals, and should recommend control/preventive measures for HCV sexual transmission.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Department, School of Health and Nutrition, Research Center for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezaianzadeh
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Department, School of Health and Nutrition, Research Center for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Department, School of Health and Nutrition, Research Center for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdorreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajaeefard
authors.affiliation: HIV Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Davarpanah
keywords: HIV; Hepatitis C Virus; Transmission