IMPACT OF ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT ON HCV VIRAL LOAD IN HIV AND HCV COINFECTED PATIENTS

HIV infection accelerates natural course of HCV infection, but impact of antiretroviral treatment on HCV infection is not well known. The ai m of this study is to compare the change of HCV viral load in patients on combination of 2 nucleoside analogues and in patients on combinati on of 2 nucleoside analogues and protease inhibitor. HCV and HIV viral load, lymphocyte CD4 counts, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspar tate amino transferase (AST) were measured before and 3 months after s tarting treatment in 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 15) treated with 2 nucleos ide analogues and Group 2 (n = 15) treated with 2 nucleoside analogues and a protease inhibitor. Results show a significant increase in lymp hocyte and a significant decrease in HIV viral load in the both group but no significant change in HCV viral load and in ALT and AST. In con clusion efficiency of anti-HIV therapy (combination of 2 nucleoside an alogues with or without a protease inhibitor) doesn't seem to have any impact on the course of HCV viremia in HIV-coinfected patients.