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HCV-HIV Chronic Coinfection Prevalence in Amazon Region

Marcio Nahum Lobo1,2, Susan Denice Flores Irias1,2, Pedro Leão Fontes Neto1,2

  • 1Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents Post-Graduate Program, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil.

Journal of Clinical Medicine
|December 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is uncommon in people living with HIV (PLWH) in the Brazilian Amazon. This study found a low prevalence of HCV and identified genotype 2 for the first time in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in regions with low human development index like the Amazon.
  • Co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV represents a dual burden of neglected chronic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and genotypes of HCV infections among people living with HIV (PLWH) in the Brazilian Amazon.
  • To investigate the characteristics of HCV infection within this specific demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 433 PLWH in Belém, Pará, Brazil, from March 2016 to June 2017.
  • HCV infection was screened using rapid immunochromatographic assay (RIA) for anti-HCV antibodies.
  • Positive samples were confirmed and genotyped using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and phylogenetic analysis.

Main Results:

  • A low prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies (0.7%) and detectable HCV RNA (0.2%) was observed among PLWH.
  • The single detected HCV RNA case was identified as genotype 2, marking the first report of this genotype in PLWH in the Brazilian Amazon.
  • A subset of participants reported drug use (7.1%) or injected drug use (2.7%).

Conclusions:

  • HCV infection prevalence is low among PLWH in the Brazilian Amazon.
  • The identification of HCV genotype 2 in this population is a novel finding.
  • Further research is warranted to understand HCV transmission dynamics and co-infection in this region.

Keywords:
HIVchronic infectioncoinfectionepidemiologyhepatitis C virus (HCV)

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