Alarming Incidence of Hepatitis C Virus Re-Infection After Treatment of Sexually Acquired Acute Hepatitis C Virus Infection in HIV-Infected MSM

The seroprevalence of sexually transmitted HCV among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam is stabilizing, recent data show. Little is known, however, about the incidence of HCV re-infection in MSM who have cleared HCV. In the current study, the team assessed the incidence of HCV re-infection in HIV-positive MSM who were HCV RNA-negative following HCV treatment of acute primary infection.

The subjects of the Amsterdam-based study were HIV-infected MSM attending two large outpatient clinics; the men were previously diagnosed with a sexually transmitted acute HCV infection and tested HCV RNA-negative at the conclusion of treatment. "We defined HCV re-infection as detectable HCV RNA in individuals with an undetectable HCV RNA at the end of treatment accompanied by a switch in HCV genotype or clade," the authors wrote. Re-infection incidence was calculated using person-time methods.

Read more....