Hepatitis C virus infection among injection drug users with and without human immunodeficiency virus co-infection

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 10;9(4):e94791. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094791. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among injection drug users (IDUs) with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in southern Taiwan. For 562 IDUs (265 anti-HIV negative, 297 anti-HIV positive), we analyzed liver function, anti-HIV antibody, anti-HCV antibody, HCV viral loads, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). HIV RNA viral loads and CD4 cell count for anti-HIV-seropositive IDUs and the HCV genotype for HCV RNA-seropositive IDUs were measured. The seroprevalence rates of anti-HIV, anti-HCV, and HBsAg were 52.8%, 91.3%, and 15.3%, respectively. All the anti-HIV-seropositive IDUs were positive for HIV RNA. Anti-HCV seropositivity was the most important factor associated with HIV infection (odds ratio [OR], 25.06; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 8.97-74.9), followed by male gender (OR, 6.12; 95% CI, 4.05-9.39) and HBsAg seropositivity (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.11-3.34). Among IDUs positive for anti-HCV, 80.7% had detectable HCV RNA. HCV viremia after HCV exposure was strongly related to HIV infection (OR, 6.262; 95% CI, 1.515-18.28), but negatively correlated to HBsAg seropositivity (OR, 0.161; 95% CI, 0.082-0.317). HCV genotype 6 was the most prevalent genotype among all IDUs (41.0%), followed by genotypes 1 (32.3%), 3 (12.8%), and 2 (5.6%). In conclusion, about half IDUs were infected with HIV and >90% with HCV infection. Male and seropositivity for HBsAg and anti-HCV were factors related to HIV infection among our IDUs. HIV was positively correlated, whereas hepatitis B co-infection was negatively correlated with HCV viremia among IDUs with HCV exposure. Different HCV molecular epidemiology was noted among IDUs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Coinfection
  • Comorbidity
  • Drug Users
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C / immunology
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies / immunology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / epidemiology*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / immunology
  • Taiwan / epidemiology
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Hepatitis C Antibodies

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grants from the Taiwan Liver Research Foundation, and projects DOH97-DC-1004, DOH98-DC-1004, and DOH99-DC-1004 of the Centers for Disease Control, ROC (Taiwan) (http://www.cdc.gov.tw/english/index.aspx). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.