AIDS 2014: Sofosbuvir + Ribavirin Cures More Than 80% of HIV/HCV Coinfected People

An interferon-free regimen of sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) plus ribavirin for 24 weeks led to sustained virological response in 84% to 89% of HIV positive chronic hepatitis C patients with HCV genotypes 1, 2, 3, or 4, according to results from the PHOTON-2 study presented at the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia. Cure rates were lower, however, for genotype 1a patients with liver cirrhosis.

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Coverage of the 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2014), March 3-6, 2014, in Boston.

Conference highlights include new treatments for hepatitis C, HIV experimental therapies and treatment strategies, HIV cure research, HIV-related conditions, treatment as prevention and PrEP, and HIV/HCV coinfection.

Full listing by topic

Selected presentations and slide webcasts 

3/9/14

Studies Look at Hepatitis C Care Cascade and Healthcare Utilization

Half of people with hepatitis C in the U.S. are aware of their infection, but fewer than 10% have been successfully treated and achieved sustained virological response (SVR), according to a meta-analysis published July 2 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. Despite these gaps in testing, care, and treatment, hepatitis C accounts for a substantial share of healthcare utilization, especially among baby boomers, a related study found.

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Coverage of the 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic infections (CROI 2014), March 3-6, 2014, in Boston.

Conference highlights include new treatments for hepatitis C, HIV experimental therapies and treatment strategies, HIV cure research, HIV-related conditions, treatment as prevention and PrEP, and HIV/HCV coinfection.

Full HIVandHepatitis.com coverage by topic

Selected presentations and slide webcasts 

3/9/14

ASCO: HCV Reactivation, Brain Involvement Do Not Worsen Lymphoma Survival for People with HIV

Reactivation of hepatitis C was common among HIV positive people with lymphoma, but did not appear to lead to worse outcomes or decreased survival, according to a study presented at the 50th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting this week in Chicago. A related study found that having central nervous system involvement at the time of diagnosis did not decrease survival of people with AIDS-related lymphoma.

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CROI 2014: Retrovirus Conference Now Underway in Boston

The 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2014) kicked off in Boston this week with a program for young investigators, a press conference on new hepatitis C treatments, and opening lectures on HIV immune response and cross-species transmission and an update on the epidemic in West Africa.

HIVandHepatitis.com will be on site all week bringing you the latest news.

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Hepatitis C Cascade Studies Show Gaps in Testing and Treatment

About half of people with hepatitis C are aware of their infection but less than 10% have been successfully treated and achieved sustained virological response, according to a meta-analysis presented at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2014). A related study found that among HIV/HCV coinfected people, 40% had been referred to hepatitis C care but only 4% were cured.

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CROI 2014: The Role of Interferon in HIV Response [VIDEO]

Although interferon is on its way out as a standard of care for hepatitis C, researchers are learning more about its role in HIV, conference vice chair Julie Overbaugh said at a media briefing on the opening day of the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2014) this week in Boston.

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CROI 2014: How Fast Does Fibrosis Progress in Acute Hepatitis C Patients with and without HIV?

Liver disease was found to progress slowly in studies of both HIV negative people with newly acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV/HCV coinfected people with acute HCV, according to a pair of studies presented at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

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CROI 2014: Retrovirus Conference Starts Monday in Boston

The 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2014) will take place next week, March 3-6, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. HIVandHepatitis.com will be on site all week to bring you the latest news coverage about HIV, hepatitis C, and related topics.

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Studies Shed Light on Hepatitis C Virus Sexual Transmission among Gay Men

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among HIV positive gay men has leveled off in Amsterdam -- one of the first cities with an outbreak of apparently sexually transmitted HCV infection -- and it continues to be rare among HIV negative men who have sex with men, according to recent studies. Other research looked at HCV sexual transmission among HIV positive and negative men in Switzerland, and at the association between HCV viral load in blood and semen.

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Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces Liver Decompensation Risk in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

HIV positive people with hepatitis C coinfection who start combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) are less likely to develop decompensated liver disease, or liver failure, according to a study published in the March 1, 2014, edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. These findings offer further support for early ART initiation for people with viral hepatitis.

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CROI 2014 & EASL 2014: Treating Hepatitis B and C in HIV+ People Reduces Liver Disease

Effective antiviral treatment that suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) repliaction or eradicates hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lower the risk of developing advanced liver disease including cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and decompensation in people with HIV and viral hepatitis coinfection, according to studies presented at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) and EASL International Liver Congress.

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Highlights from 2013 ICAAC, IDWeek, and EACS Meetings

Latest Positive Pulse Newsletter

In this overview Paul Sax from Harvard Medical School and Mark Sulkowski from Johns Hopkins discuss selected highlights from this fall's Interscience Conference on Microbial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), IDWeek, and the European AIDS Conference. The newsletter is available to all for free, with continuing medical education (CME) credit available for physicians and nurses.

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Even Moderate Alcohol Use Raises Liver Fibrosis Risk in HIV/HCV Coinfected People

People with HIV alone or hepatitis C virus alone were more likely to have advanced liver fibrosis if they drank more alcohol, but people coinfected with both HIV and HCV had a greater risk of advanced fibrosis even with moderate or "non-hazardous" drinking, according to a report in the May 15 edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Antiretrovirals Reduce Liver Decompensation in HIV/HCV Coinfected

Starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the likelihood that HIV positive people coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) will develop decompensated liver disease, according to a report published in the November 27, 2013, advance edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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EASL 2014: Sofosbuvir + Ledipasvir Produces Early Cure for 100% of HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

Treatment for 12 weeks with a coformulation of sofosbuvir plus ledipasvir led to sustained response for all HIV/HCV coinfected individuals with genotype 1 hepatitis C followed for 12 weeks post-treatment, according to interim findings from the ERADICATE study presented at the 49thEASL International Liver Congress (EASL 2014) this week in London.

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HIVandHepatitis.com Complete 2013 Conference Coverage

HIVandHepatitis.com 2013 conference and meeting coverage.

Full conference listing

12/30/13

Hepatitis C Liver Decompensation Remains a Problem for People with HIV Despite Good ART

People with HIV who are coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) continue to have a higher risk for decompensated cirrhosis, or liver failure, even in the era of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to a study published in the March 18 Annals of Internal Medicine. As such, they especially stand to benefit from new interferon-free hepatitis C treatments.

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AASLD 2013: Faldaprevir + Interferon/Ribavirin Leads to Early Sustained Response for HIV/HCV Coinfected

The HCV protease inhibitor faldaprevir plus pegylated interferon and ribavirin improved 4-week sustained response rates for HIV positive people coinfected with genotype 1 hepatitis C in the STARTVerso4 trial, according to a poster presented at the 64th AASLD Liver Meeting last week in Washington, DC.

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