Rapidly progressing hepatitis C in New York gay men. New surveillance networks needed.

R ecent outbreaks of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) have been reported in England, France, Germany, Holland, and the United States. Many of these cases were sexually transmitted, which is unusual because HCV is typically transmitted via injection drug use. Furthermore, many of these men were HIV-positive before they acquired HCV. Now, researchers in New York report a worrisome new finding: significant liver damage in HIV-positive MSM within months of HCV infection. Acute HCV may be a “whole different level of worry” for HIV-positive people, says Dr. Daniel Fierer of New