Changing seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among HIV-positive patients in Taiwan
Journal
PLoS ONE
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
3
Pages
e0194149
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Li C.-W.
Yang C.-J.
Tsai M.-S.
Lin S.-P.
Lin T.-Y.
Cheng C.-Y.
Lee Y.-C.
Liu C.-E.
Lee Y.-T.
Tang H.-J.
Wang N.-C.
Cheng S.-H.
Ko W.-C.
Abstract
Objective The study aimed to describe the evolution of the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients included in two cohorts in Taiwan. Methods We retrospectively collected the information on demographic and clinical characteristics of 4,025 and 3,856 HIV-positive Taiwanese, who were aged 18 years or older at designated hospitals around Taiwan in 2004±2007, when an outbreak of HIV infection was occurring, and 2012±2016, when the outbreak was controlled with the implementation of harm reduction program, respectively. Comparisons of HCV seropositivity were made among different age and risk groups for HIV transmission between these two cohorts. Results The overall HCV seroprevalence of the 2004±2007 cohort and 2012±2016 cohort was 43.4% (1,288/2,974) and 18.6% (707/3,793), respectively (P<0.001). The HCV seroprevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs), though decreasing, was constantly high across the two cohorts, 96.4% and 94.0% (P = 0.02), respectively, and all age groups. In contrast, the corresponding figures among men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals in the two cohorts were 5.9% vs. 3.5% (P = 0.002) and 9.4% vs. 10.9% (P = 0.59), respectively. Among sexually transmitted HIV-positive patients, HCV seropositivity was significantly correlated with age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], per 1-year increase, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02±1.05) and a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titer ?1:8 (aOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.03±2.43) in a multivariate analysis including age, gender, route for HIV transmission, baseline CD4 count and plasma HIV RNA load, the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen, and an RPR titer ?1:8. Compared with heterosexuals, the aOR for HCV seropositivity among MSM was 0.47 (95% CI, 0.31±0.72). Conclusions HCV seroprevalence among HIV-positive patients in Taiwan decreased with time, probably related to the inclusion of younger adults and more non-IDUs, and remained high among IDUs. HCV seropositivity was associated with age and an RPR titer ?1:8 among patients who acquired HIV through sexual contact. ? 2018 Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Other Subjects
hepatitis B surface antigen; virus RNA; adult; age distribution; aged; Article; CD4 lymphocyte count; clinical feature; cohort analysis; controlled study; demography; drug use; epidemic; female; hepatitis B; hepatitis C; heterosexuality; high risk population; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infected patient; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; major clinical study; male; men who have sex with men; retrospective study; seroprevalence; sex difference; sexually transmitted disease; syphilis; Taiwan; Taiwanese; very elderly; virus load; virus transmission; adolescent; age; clinical trial; Hepacivirus; hepatitis C; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; Human immunodeficiency virus prevalence; middle aged; mixed infection; multicenter study; sexual and gender minority; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Coinfection; Female; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Heterosexuality; HIV Infections; HIV Seroprevalence; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Taiwan
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Type
journal article