Hepatitis C Incidence Rises among HIV+ Gay Men in Swiss Study

Sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has increased dramatically over the past 13 years among gay and bisexual men in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, even as it remained stable among heterosexuals and decreased among injection drug users, investigators reported in the November 2012 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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AIDS 2012: Is Sexually Transmitted Hepatitis C among HIV+ Gay Men Leveling Off in Amsterdam?

The decade-long outbreak of sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among HIV positive men who have sex with men in Amsterdam appears to have leveled off since 2007, perhaps due to increased testing and treatment, but more education and screening are needed, researchers reported at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) last week in Washington, DC

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HIV+ People Who Acquire Hepatitis C May Have Impaired HCV-specific Interferon Response

People who already have HIV when they become infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) appear to have reduced production of cytokines including natural interferons active against HCV, according to a study described in the November 15, 2012, Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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Coverage of the XIX International AIDS Conference

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), July 22-27 in Washington, DC.

Conference highlights include experimental antiretroviral drugs, treatment as prevention and PrEP, scaling up HIV treatment and prevention in resource-limited countries, human rights and concerns of heavily impacted populations, AIDS policy and advocacy, HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfection, and the search for a cure for HIV.

Full listing by topic

HIVandHepatitis.com AIDS 2012 conference section

7/27/12

Hepatitis C Treatment Adherence Is Important for HIV/HCV Coinfected People

Near-perfect adherence to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin offers the best chance of sustained virological response -- or a cure -- for HIV positive people coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a U.S. veterans study described in the August 21, 2012, advance online edition of AIDS and Behavior.

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AIDS 2012: HIV/HCV Coinfected People at Greater Risk for Liver Decompensation

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), people coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C remain at higher risk for decompensated liver disease and other liver-related complications than those with hepatitis C alone, according to findings presented this week at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington, DC.

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ICAAC 2012: Hepatitis C Can Be Successfully Treated in Injection Drugs Users with or without HIV

HIV negative and HIV positive chronic hepatitis patients  in Vancouver with a history of injection drug use -- most of whom were on methadone maintenance -- achieved sustained response rates with interferon-based therapy similar to those of non-users, researchers reported at the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC 2012) last month in San Francisco.

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Hepatitis C Raises Risk of Both Liver-Related and Non-Liver Deaths

Overall mortality from both liver-related disease and non-liver conditions -- including some cancers -- is significantly increased in people with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection compared with uninfected individuals, according to a study published in the July 17, 2012, advance online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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ICAAC 2012: Infections are Common among HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients on Interferon

Life-threatening infections occur frequently among people with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection during treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, but this does not appear to be a consequence of neutropenia, or loss of white blood cells, according to a poster presented at the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC 2012) this month on San Francisco.

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FibroScan Liver Stiffness Measurement Predicts Liver Failure and Death

Transient elastography, better known as FibroScan, is an accurate method for predicting liver-related clinical events and death in HIV positive people coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a study described in the July 2012 issue of Hepatology.

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ICAAC 2012: Raltegravir Shows Long-term Safety and Efficacy for HIV/HCV and HIV/HBV Coinfection

The HIV integrase inhibitor raltegravir (Isentress) was well-tolerated and demonstrated continued effectiveness for 5 years in treatment-naive and 3 years in treatment-experienced HIV patients coinfected with hepatitis B or C, according to a poster presentation at the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) last week in San Francisco.

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Insulin Resistance Linked to Liver Disease Progression in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

Insulin resistance is common among HIV positive people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection and is strongly associated with progression to liver fibrosis over time, Canadian researchers reported in the June 27, 2012, advance online edition of AIDS.

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ICAAC 2012: HCV Polymerase Inhibitor Sofosbuvir Appears Safe and Effective for HIV/HCV Coinfected People

HIV/HCV coinfected people taking the experimental hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir (formerly GS-7977) experienced a rapid decline in HCV viral load similar to that seen in HIV negative patients, researchers reported this week at the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC 2012) in San Francisco. Side effects were also similar, and there was no sign of interactions with antiretroviral drugs in this 14-day study

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HIV/HCV Coinfected People Have Higher Risk of Hip Fractures

HIV positive people who also have hepatitis C virus (HCV) are more prone to hip fractures than people with HIV alone, HCV alone, or neither virus, according to research published in the May 22, 2012, advance online edition of Hepatology.

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Coverage of the 2012 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), San Francisco, September 9-12, 2012.

Topics highlighted this year include experimental antiretroviral drugs, complications related to HIV and its treatment, recent developments in hepatitis C therapy, cancer caused by HPV, influenza, tuberculosis, and STDs.

Full listing by topic

HIVandHepatitis.com ICAAC 2012 conference section

Hepatitis B Linked to More HIV+ Deaths than Hepatitis C, Risk High for People with AIDS

HIV positive men who are coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are more likely to die than those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, according to research published in the April 20, 2012, advance online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. A related study, however, found that liver-related mortality was quite high for HIV/HCV coinfected people with a diagnosis of AIDS.

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Coverage of 2012 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy -- better known as ICAAC -- in San Francisco, September 9-12, 2012.

Topics highlighted this year include experimental antiretroviral drugs, complications related to HIV and its treatment, recent developments in hepatitis C therapy, and cancer caused by HPV, along with a gamut of other infectious diseases including influenza, tuberculosis, and STDs.

Full listing by topic

HIVandHepatitis.com ICAAC 2012 conference section

9/11/12

Ribavirin Helps Early Hepatitis C Treatment in People with HIV

Adding ribavirin to pegylated interferon increases the likelihood of a cure for early hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in people with HIV, according to study findings published in the May 2, 2012, advance online edition of AIDS.

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AIDS 2012: Rapid Liver Disease in HIV+ Men with Acute HCV: The Debate Continues

Gay and bisexual men who are already HIV positive when they become infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) may experience unusually rapid and severe liver disease progression, according to a presentation by Daniel Fierer at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) last month in Washington, DC. Other experts, however, disagree with this conclusion.

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Liver Fibrosis Tests Predict Mortality in HIV/HCV Coinfected Women

More advanced liver fibrosis, as diagnosed by 2 non-invasive biomarker tests, is associated with a higher risk of death for HIV positive women coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a report in the March 13, 2012, issue of AIDS.

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