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. 2016 Jul-Aug;20(4):330-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjid.2015.11.007. Epub 2015 Dec 31.

Prevalence and characteristics of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfections in Tuscany

Monia Puglia  1 , Cristina Stasi  2 , Monica Da Frè  1 , Fabio Voller  1
Affiliations

Prevalence and characteristics of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfections in Tuscany

Monia Puglia et al. Braz J Infect Dis. 2016 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Introduction: Worldwide about 30% of HIV-infected patients are coinfected with HCV or HBV. The HIV/HCV coinfection is more common in individuals who have a history of drug addiction. The aims of this study were to assess the HCV and HBV prevalence in HIV-infected patients and analyze their characteristics.

Methods: We considered the new HIV diagnoses notified by the regional surveillance system of Tuscany from 2009 to 2013. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the socio-demographic characteristics, routes of transmission, and reason to perform the test. In coinfected patients we assessed the risk for being late presenter (LP) or the risk of having AIDS.

Results: In 5 years of surveillance a total of 1354 new HIV diagnoses were notified: 1188 (87.7%) were HIV alone, 106 (7.8%) HIV/HCV, 56 (4.1%) HIV/HBV, and 4 (0.33%) HIV/HCV/HBV. The main risk factor was injection drug use in 52.8% of HCV/HIV cases, while in HIV/HBV patients the main risk factor was sexual exposure. HIV/HBV coinfected patients showed worse clinical and immunological features than HIV and HIV/HCV patients: 78.6% had CD4 count less than 350mm(-3) (vs. 54.6% and 62.1%, respectively) and 39.4% had AIDS (vs 20.7% and 7.6%). The risk for being LP triples for HIV/HBV (OR 2.98; 95% IC: 1.56-5.70) than patients with HIV alone.

Conclusions: We have observed less advanced disease in HIV and HCV-HIV patients compared with HBV-HIV coinfected patients. Moreover, our results show a higher prevalence of HIV/HCV among drug addicts and in the age-group 35-59, corresponding to those born in years considered most at risk for addiction. This study also confirms the finding of a less advanced HIV disease in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

Keywords: Coinfections; HBV; HCV; HIV.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HIV transmission route in HIV, HIV/HBV, HIV/HCV, HIV/HCV/HBV infected adult patients notified in Tuscany (2009–2013).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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