Prevalence and Risk Factors of HCV/HIV Co-Infection and HCV Genotype Distribution in North-Eastern Poland

BACKGROUND HIV/HCV co-infection predisposes to accelerated liver damage and increased both liver-related and unrelated morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV infection. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection, seropositivity, risk factors and genotype distribution among treated HIV positive patients. Furthermore, the occurrence and causes of deaths were analyzed. PATIENTS AND METHODS Adult HIV-1 infected patients, with at least one antiHCV result, treated in one of Polish HIV/AIDS reference centers, participated in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS Four hundred and fifty seven patients with a median age of 38 years (ranged 23 - 72), and predominantly male (76.6%) were enrolled in the study. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 325 individuals (71.1%). HCV RNA was detected in 207 of the 233 patients tested (88%). The HCV genotype analysis (n = 193) demonstrated almost equal distribution with slight genotype 1 domination as 37.3%, mainly 1b, followed by genotypes 3 as 32.1% and 4 as 30.6%. No association was found between HCV genotype and route of HIV acquisition. In univariate analysis, higher HCV seropositivity was related to male sex, intravenous drug use (IDU), mode of HIV transmission, history of drug and alcohol abuse and imprisonment. In multivariate analysis, only being injection drug user (P = 0.0001), imprisonment (P = 0.310) and younger age at the HIV diagnosis per each year (P = 0.025) were identified as risk factors for HCV infection. Sixty three deaths were reported; no association was found between HCV seropositivity and death prevalence. CONCLUSIONS HIV/HCV co-infection is an important medical problem in North-Eastern Poland. A history of incarceration and younger age at HIV diagnosis were additional to IDU risk factors for HCV seropositivity in this cohort.