Hepatitis C and HIV co-infection: a review

Co-infection with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus is common in certain populations. Among HCV (+) persons, 10 % are also HIV (+), and among HIV (+) persons, 25 % are also HCV (+). Many studies have shown that in intravenous drug users, co-infection prevalence can be as high as 90-95 %. There is increasing evidence supporting the concept that people infected with HIV have a much more rapid course of their hepatitis C infection. Treatment of co-infection is often challenging because highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) therapy is frequently hepatotoxic, especially in the presence of HCV. The purpose of this review is to describe the effects that HIV has on hepatitis C, the effects that hepatitis C has on HIV, and the treatment options in this challenging population.