Hepatitis virus infection in anti-HIV positive subjects

In 189 anti-HIV positive subjects HCV infection was detected in 53.9% of ca ses, HBV infection in 8.4% no marker of Hepatitis Virus Infection (HepI) in 32%. The presence of a HepI was associated to drug addiction; in fact, in 91 drugs abusers HIV/HCV coinfection was found in 80% of cases and HIV infe ction alone in 7.7% (p<0.0001). Moreover, the association between sexual ri sk factors and HCV infection was less evident, although the high prevalence of anti-HCV in these cases (10.4%, 15.4% and 26.4% respectively) clearly s uggests that HIV infection may improve the sexual transmission of HCV. No s ubstantial differences in the level of immunodeficiency, nor in the HIV vir al load nor in the frequency of AIDS cases was observed between patients wi th HIV infection alone and those with HIV/HCV coinfection. The presence of a more severe liver disease was linked to a multiple HepI, regardless to th e degree of immunodeficiency.