Genotypic Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected Patients in Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

Abstract

Hepatitis C  virus  (HCV)   infection is  common   in  human   immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The effect ofHCV genotypes on HIV and HCV disease progression and responsiveness to hepatitis  C therapy,  particularly in the era of anti-retroviral therapy  for  HIV infection, still requires more clarification. The present study was aimed to investigate distribution of HCV genotypes  and  their  association  with clinical characteristics related  to HIV and  HCV infection   in  the HIV/HCV-coinfected patients  attending Bamrasnaradura Infectious  Diseases Institute, Thailand, between  November  2016 and  December  2017. A cross-sectional study was conducted  in  73  HIV/HCV-coinfected  patients  mostly   receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (ART).  Prevalence of  HCV  genotypes   1,  3  and  6  were  54.8%, 37.0%  and  8.2% respectively. The  Chi-square and  Fisher's exact  tests  indicated   no  statistically significant association  of  HCV  genotypes with  clinical features  tested  in  the  HIV/HCV-coinfected group, consistent  with  no  difference in  median  age,  duration of  HIV  and  HCV  diagnosis, pretreatment HCV RNA viral load, CD4+ cell count  and levels of aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferases (ALT), observed in the patients infected with HCV genotype 3 and 6, compared to those with genotype  1 (p  > 0.05). This study  provides  HCV genotypic  distribution which is essential for management ofHCV treatment regimens especially in HIV/HCV  coinfected patients.