Hep C Treatment - Co-infection with HIV
- People with Hepatitis C, may also be infected with HIV
- Hepatitis C infection is more serious in HIV-infected people. It leads to liver damage more quickly.
- Co-infection with HIV may also affect the treatment of Hepatitis C.
- HIV treatment can cause problems with the liver of someone with hepatitis C
- However Hepatitis C can be treated successfully, even in HIV-infected patients.
Effect of hepatitis C on HIV (treatment)
Treatment for HIV is more complicated when hepatitis C is present. Doctors are faced with deciding if it is best to treat the hepatitis C first or the HIV. This involves weighing up all risk factors including the degree of liver damage and the amount of HIV ('viral load') that is present. The viral load for HIV is measured using what is called a '"viral load"' test.
Individuals who are coinfected receive interferon treatment for hepatitis C for 48 weeks regardless of their hepatitis C genotype. They tend to experience similar side effects to people who are only infected with hepatitis C. Importantly, if the level of HIV virus is good then anti-viral treatment for hepatitis C is only slightly less effective than it would be for someone without HIV.
For further information on HIV and coinfection we would recommend the plus|VE| Rough Guide to HIV and Hepatitis C booklets.and the web sites below:
Information provided by the UK Hepatitis C Resource Centre
© Mainliners, 2006 www.mainliners.org.uk
By Guarantee 2404043
Registered Charity 801862