Study on the rates of infection and spontaneous clearance on HCV among HIV-infected men who have sex with men in China / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to understand the rates of infection and spontaneous clearance on hepatitis C virus (HCV) among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HIV-infected MSM from Shenyang, Beijing, Changsha and Kunming were selected to take the HCV antibody and HVC-RNA tests, and then classified into 'under recovery (RNA-/Ab+) ' or being chronic (RNA+/Ab+). Information on demography, CD4(+) T cell, HIV viral load and liver biochemical indicators were also collected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 513 HIV-infected MSM, the positive rate of HCV antibody was 1.94% (10/513) and the positive rate of HVC-RNA was 0.77% (4/513). Five patients showed clearance of HVC-RNA, spontaneously. These 5 patients had low levels of both alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and with high level of CD4(+) T cells, when compared to those who were not able to clear the HVC-RNA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Currently, the HCV infection rate was still at quite low level among the HIV-infected MSM in China. Dynamic of HIV/HCV co-infection should be monitored so as to develop suitable strategy on prevention and treatment among this population, in China.</p>