Miao-Hui Huang1,2, Sui-Yuan Chang3,4, Chen-Hua Liu1, Aristine Cheng1, Li-Hsin Su1, Wen-Chun Liu1, Yi-Ching Su1, Hsin-Yun Sun1, Chien-Ching Hung1,5,6,7, Shan-Chwen Chang1. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan. 3. Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 5. Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 6. Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 7. China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Higher rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection after viral clearance have been well described among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Europe. The epidemiology of HCV reinfection, however, has rarely been investigated among HIV-positive patients in Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: We retrospectively identified HIV-positive patients with recent HCV infection who had cleared their primary infection, either spontaneously or via treatment, between January 2011 and May 2018. All included patients were observed until 31 March 2019. HCV reinfection was defined as recurrent HCV viraemia after achieving viral clearance with anti-HCV treatment or after spontaneous clearance. RESULTS: During the study period, 219 HIV-positive patients (90.4% MSM) were diagnosed with recent HCV infection. Viral clearance with successful treatment was achieved in 108 patients (49.3%) and spontaneous clearance occurred in 20 (9.1%); of them, 18 (14.1%) acquired HCV reinfections, resulting in an incidence rate of 8.2 per 100 person-years of follow-up (95% CI 5.2-13.1). With the adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, we found a higher reinfection risk in patients with syphilis (adjusted hazard ratio 10.3, 95% CI 1.4-77.8, P = .023) compared to those without syphilis. HCV RNA testing, if performed only following syphilis and elevated aminotransferases, might miss 44.4% and 33.3% of HCV reinfections, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to the findings in Europe, we observed a high incidence of HCV reinfection among HIV-positive Taiwanese with recent HCV infection, which was significantly associated with syphilis. To identify HCV reinfections, annual HCV RNA testing should be instituted instead of testing driven by symptoms, syphilis or elevated aminotransferases.
BACKGROUND: Higher rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection after viral clearance have been well described among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Europe. The epidemiology of HCV reinfection, however, has rarely been investigated among HIV-positive patients in Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: We retrospectively identified HIV-positive patients with recent HCV infection who had cleared their primary infection, either spontaneously or via treatment, between January 2011 and May 2018. All included patients were observed until 31 March 2019. HCV reinfection was defined as recurrent HCV viraemia after achieving viral clearance with anti-HCV treatment or after spontaneous clearance. RESULTS: During the study period, 219 HIV-positive patients (90.4% MSM) were diagnosed with recent HCV infection. Viral clearance with successful treatment was achieved in 108 patients (49.3%) and spontaneous clearance occurred in 20 (9.1%); of them, 18 (14.1%) acquired HCV reinfections, resulting in an incidence rate of 8.2 per 100 person-years of follow-up (95% CI 5.2-13.1). With the adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, we found a higher reinfection risk in patients with syphilis (adjusted hazard ratio 10.3, 95% CI 1.4-77.8, P = .023) compared to those without syphilis. HCV RNA testing, if performed only following syphilis and elevated aminotransferases, might miss 44.4% and 33.3% of HCV reinfections, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to the findings in Europe, we observed a high incidence of HCV reinfection among HIV-positive Taiwanese with recent HCV infection, which was significantly associated with syphilis. To identify HCV reinfections, annual HCV RNA testing should be instituted instead of testing driven by symptoms, syphilis or elevated aminotransferases.
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