title: Hepatitis C seroconversions in HIV infection across Europe: which regions and patient groups are affected?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the last decade, several outbreaks of sexually acquired acute hepatitis C (HCV) infection have been described in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). The aims of this study were to determine whether there has been an increase in the number of acute HCV infections in different parts of Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  HCV seroconversion was defined as an HCV-antibody test change from negative to positive within the observation period in EuroSIDA. Binomial regression was performed to determine factors associated with being tested for HCV and HCV seroconversion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 223 HCV seroconversions were observed from 16,188 tests [1.38% (95%CI 1.20-1.56)] among 5736 patients between 2002 and 2013. Overall the odds of acquiring HCV infection increased by 4% per year (OR 1.04 [95%CI 0.99-1.09]; P = 0.10). Overall 63.2% (141/223) of all seroconversions were seen among MSM. Similar patterns were observed across all European regions (P = 0.69, test for interaction) and HIV transmission risks groups (P = 0.69, test for interaction). In multivariate analysis, North, South and East Europe had higher odds of HCV seroconversion compared with Western Europe [OR 1.90 (1.28-2.81), 1.55 (0.99-2.45) and 1.86 (1.21-2.84); P = 0.0014, P = 0.058 and P = 0.0044 respectively].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within EuroSIDA a significant increase in HCV seroconversions can be observed after accounting for increased levels of testing for HCV in recent years. This highlights the need for increased HCV prevention efforts among HIV-positive persons in Europe.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine I, Bonn University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Boesecke
authors: UCL, London, UK.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Grint
authors: Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Soriano
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, CHIP, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Jens D
authors: JD
authors: Lundgren
authors: Istituto Di Clinica Malattie Infettive e Tropicale, Milan, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: d'Arminio Monforte
authors: Gomel State Medical University, Gomel, Belarus.
authors: Victor M
authors: VM
authors: Mitsura
authors: Kiev Centre for AIDS, Kiev, Ukraine.
authors: Nelly
authors: N
authors: Chentsova
authors: Klinicki Centar Univerziteta Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
authors: Vesnadarjan
authors: V
authors: Hadziosmanovic
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, CHIP, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Ole
authors: O
authors: Kirk
authors: UCL, London, UK.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Mocroft
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, CHIP, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Peters
authors: Department of Internal Medicine I, Bonn University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
authors: Jürgen K
authors: JK
authors: Rockstroh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D055030:Drug Users; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069078:Seroconversion
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
keywords: EuroSIDA; HIV; MSM; PWID; acute hepatitis C