[972] INCREASING INCIDENCE OF ACUTE HEPATITIS C IN HIV POSITIVE MEN SECONDARY TO SEXUAL TRANSMISSION: A NEW EPIDEMIC?

2nd International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment

Paris, France - July 13 - 16, 2003

[TITLE:] INCREASING INCIDENCE OF ACUTE HEPATITIS C IN HIV POSITIVE MEN SECONDARY TO SEXUAL TRANSMISSION: A NEW EPIDEMIC?

[AUTHOR(S):] RE Browne, D Asboe, YC Gilleece, MC Atkins, S Mandalia, BG Gazzard and MR Nelson
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK

IAS Conf HIV Pathog Treat 2003 Jul 13-16;2nd: Abstract No. 972
Antiviral Therapy 2003; 8(Suppl. 1):S458

[ABSTRACT:] Background: To evaluate changes in acute HCV seroconversion and risk factors for acquisition of HCV within a dedicated HIV/GUM clinic.

Methods: We identified acute seroconverters for HCV from our sexual health and HIV cohort between January 1997 and December 2002. Demographic, clinical and risk factor data were analysed.

Results: 28 patients were identified, 26 of whom were HIV positive. There was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of documented HCV seroconversion, test for trend P value <0.001. The only identifiable risk factor was unprotected sexual intercourse in 20 individuals. 4 patients had a history of current intravenous drug use (IDU). 9 individuals were diagnosed with infectious syphilis in the year preceding HCV seroconversion including 3 who were diagnosed with HCV and syphilis concurrently. 18 patients had asymptomatic seroconversion and the sole reason for HCV testing was to investigate abnormal liver function tests (LFTs). There was a statistically significant increase in the number of patients testing positive for HCV in our clinical cohort but no increase in the total number of patients having HCV tests. This makes it unlikely that our observations are due to a lowered threshold for testing.

Conclusions: The high number of individuals reporting unsafe sex, low documented IDU and high rate of concomitant syphilis infection suggests that sexual transmission is fuelling a significant increase in HCV seroconversion.

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