Seroepidemiology of HCV-HIV coinfection in Tunisia.

Authors :: Kilani B
Ammari L
Marrakchi C
Letaief A
Chakroun M
Ben Jemaa M
Ben Aïssa HT
Kanoun F
Ben Chaabène T
Source :: La Tunisie medicale [Tunis Med] 2007 Feb; Vol. 85 (2), pp. 121-3.
Publication Year :: 2007
Abstract: Aim: To determine the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a cohort of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and to compare risk factors.<br />Methods: Multicenter retrospective study from infectious diseases department in Tunisia. We examined sera from HIV patients followed in these centers. Diagnosis of HCV infection was based on third generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test.<br />Results: 362 HIV-1 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 35,5 years. 272 patients (75.13%) were male. Sexual transmission of HIV was the main risk factor (56.3%). 144 patients (39.7%) had antibodies against HCV, mainly in patients with history of intravenous drug abuse (78.4%). Quantitative evaluation of hepatitis C virus RNA was done only in 3 patients.<br />Conclusion: HCV-HIV coinfection in tunisian patients occurs frequently, due to the same ways of transmission. More studies are needed to focus on sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus in order to prevent such infections rather than interferon-based therapies.