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HCV and GBV-C/HGV infection in HIV positive patients in southern Italy

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Abstract

Flaviviridae–hepatitis C virus (HCV) and GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) – and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) frequently show similar modes of transmission. HCV and GBV-C/HGV infection was assessed in 134 consecutive patients with evidence of HIV infection, living in Campania, Italy. Data obtained from this cohort were compared with those obtained from 252 age- and sex-matched HCV infected patients without evidence of HIV infection (HCV control group). Following enzymatic immunoassays, samples were tested for the presence of HCV-RNA by RT-PCR. The HCV-RNA positive sera were genotyped by LiPA procedure. The prevalence of HCV infection in HIV patients was 19.40% and the largest group of HIV–HCV co-infected patients (84.62%) was represented by intravenous drug users (IVDU). The distribution of HCV genotypes in HIV–HCV patients was different, compared to that observed in HCV control group. HCV genotypes 1a (50%) and 3a (23.08%) were more frequently detected in HIV–HCV patients, compared to HCV control group (5.16 and 5.56% for 1a and 3a, respectively). Conversely, HCV genotypes 1b (55.70%) and 2a/2c (30.26%) were more represented in HCV control group, compared to HIV–HCV patients (15.38 and 0% for 1b and 2a/2c, respectively). GBV-C/HGV seroprevalence was 41.04% in HIV patients and 6.54% in healthy control individuals. Differently from HCV, GBV-C/HGV infection did not correlate to a preferential risk behaviour in the HIV cohort. Comparative analysis of HCV and GBV-C/HGV infection indicates that the use of injecting drugs might play a key role in the epidemiology of HCV and, in particular, of 1a and 3a HCV genotypes, in HIV patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento Assistenziale di Patologia Clinica, Area Funzionale di Virologia e Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare ‘L. Califano’, Italy

    D. Rendina, E. Vigorita, R. Bonavolta, M. D'Onofrio, A. Iura, M.T.T. Pietronigro, R. Laccetti, P. Formisano, P. Laccetti & G. Portella

  2. Dipartimento Universitario della Medicina Pubblica e della Sicurezza Sociale - Sezione di Malattie Infettive, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia Università di Napoli ‘Federico II’, Napoli, Italy

    G. Bonadies, G. Liuzzi & G. Borgia

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  1. D. Rendina
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  2. E. Vigorita
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  3. R. Bonavolta
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  4. M. D'Onofrio
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  5. A. Iura
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  6. M.T.T. Pietronigro
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  7. R. Laccetti
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  8. G. Bonadies
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  9. G. Liuzzi
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  10. G. Borgia
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  11. P. Formisano
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  12. P. Laccetti
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  13. G. Portella
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Rendina, D., Vigorita, E., Bonavolta, R. et al. HCV and GBV-C/HGV infection in HIV positive patients in southern Italy. Eur J Epidemiol 17, 801–807 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015679929395

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