Impact of HIV infection in patients infected with chronic HCV (genotypes 1a and 3a): virological and clinical changes.
BACKGROUND
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection has become a serious public health problem. The influence of HIV/HCV coinfection on plasma HCV RNA loads and clinical criteria which are usually regarded as a predictor of the progress of liver disease have not been reliably evaluated.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the impact of HIV infection on HCV RNA load and clinical indexes in Yazd and Tehran.


METHODS
HCV/HIV-coinfected patients and HCV-monoinfected controls were examined and compared for plasma HCV RNA and related risk factors such as HCV genotypes, liver enzymes, and transmission routes.


RESULTS
A total of 54 HCV/HIV-coinfected patients and 88 HCV-monoinfected controls were studied. The HCV RNA load mean was significantly higher in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients than in HCV-monoinfected patients (p < 0.001). HCV RNA load mean in patients infected with HCV without anti-HCV therapy was lower than HIV/HCV patients with and without highly active antiretroviral therapy that this difference was significant (p < 0.001). The HCV RNA levels were significantly higher in HIV/HCV genotype 3a coinfected patients than in genotype 3a monoinfected patients (p < 0.001). HIV RNA levels were lower in genotype 1a infected patients than in genotype 3a infected patients, but this difference was not significant statistically. The ALT mean levels were significantly higher in genotype 3a HIV/HCV-coinfected patients than in genotype 3a HCV-monoinfected patients (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
HIV/HCV coinfection leads to a significant increase in plasma HCV RNA. Further evaluations of the effects of ART and HIV infection on the course of HCV infection and the response to treatment against HCV infection in other and different genotypes are also needed. Moreover, HIV-infected patients should be screened regularly for HCV coinfection, particularly if they are in high-risk groups such as IDUs and recipients of blood transfusions.
a Department of Virology, Rasht Branch , Islamic Azad University , Rasht , Iran.
Daryoush
D
Behzadpour
b Department of Virology , School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Abbas
A
Ahmadi Vasmehjani
c Department of Research and Development , Pasteur Institute of Iran , Tehran , Iran.
Seyed Dawood
SD
Mousavi Nasab
d Proteomics Research Center , Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.|e Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Department of Medical Lab Technology , Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Nayeb Ali
NA
Ahmadi
b Department of Virology , School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Rasoul
R
Baharlou
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral
Coinfection; Genotypes; HIV; Hepatitis C virus; Viral load