HIV Coinfection

Abstract

Improved screening of the blood supply and safer injection practice have led to a decreased prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide over the past decade. However, those who are coinfected with HIV and HCV experience synergistic interaction between the viruses, leading to accelerated liver fibrosis and possibly increased HIV progression. Left untreated, these coinfected patients experience higher mortality compared with monoinfected individuals. The recent availability of highly efficacious direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) provides opportunity to prioritize coinfected patients for curing HCV, which can improve liver-related and overall mortality. This review summarizes the epidemiology, virology, and natural history of coinfection. Major clinical trials involving coinfected patients are summarized, and drug-drug interactions between HIV antiretroviral therapy and HCV DAA therapy are discussed. Given the numbers of people at risk for primary infection and reinfection after cure, we also discuss important strategies of harm reduction and treatment as prevention. The revolution in DAAs provides the prospect of reducing the burden of liver disease, which remains one of the leading causes of death in people living with HIV. Key words: HIV-HCV coinfection; Epidemiology; Natural history; Viral interaction; Direct-acting antiviral; Drug-drug interaction