HIV increases hepatitis C viraemia irrespective of the hepatitis C virus genotype

Abstract

In case of coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), HCV viraemia is increased. Because the HCV genotype 1 is associated with elevated viraemia, the increase in HCV viraemia observed and described in HIV+ patients could be attributed to the predominance of HCV genotype 1 in these patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify HCV RNA in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV, according to the HCV genotype. The HCV genotype was thus determined in serum samples of 59 HIV+HCV+ patients and 51 HIV-HCV+ patients. HCV RNA was quantified using a branched DNA assay and the HCV genotype was determined using the "InnoLiPA" technique. The distribution of the HCV genotype was not significantly different in the two groups of patients, and there were even more patients infected by genotype 1 in the HIV-HCV+ group. The mean HCV viraemia of patients infected by HCV genotype 1 and by HCV genotype 3 was higher in patients coinfected by HIV than in HIV- patients (p < 10(-7) and p = 0.05, respectively). The increase in HCV viraemia observed in HIV+ patients was not the result of a specific distribution of HCV genotype in these patients. HIV infection was responsible for an increase in HCV viraemia irrespective of the HCV genotype.