Increasing Incidence of Recent Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Persons Seeking Voluntary Counselling & Testing for HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections in Taiwan

The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) is rarely investigated in the Asia-Pacific region. We aimed to estimate the incidence rate of and factors associated with recent HCV infection among the clients seeking voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services for HIV in Taiwan.

During 2006-2013, 12 143 clients sought VCT services for HIV. Clients with subsequent follow-up tests at an interval of 6 months or longer were included to estimate the incidence rate of HCV seroconversion. Phylogenetic analysis of HCV sequences from VCT clients and HIV-positive patients was performed.

The overall HCV seroprevalence at baseline was 0.3%. Of 2150 clients testing negative for anti-HCV antibody at baseline with a total of 5074.99 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), 17 (0.8%) developed HCV seroconversion, leading to an overall incidence rate of 3.35 per 1000 PYFU, which increased from 2.28 in 2006-2009, to 3.33 in 2010 to 2011 and 4.94 per 1000 PYFU  in 2012-2013; the incidence of early syphilis increased from 11.91 to 13.28 and 31.78 per 1000 PYFU in the three corresponding periods. In multivariate analysis, having HIV-positive partners and developing a rapid plasma reagin titre of 4 or greater were significantly associated with HCV seroconversion.

An increasing trend of recent HCV infection occurs among individuals seeking VCT services in Taiwan. Having HIV-positive partners and having syphilis are independently associated with recent HCV seroconversion.

Below:  The incidence rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis, 2006–2013

Full article at: http://goo.gl/XhhJ40

By: Tsai JC1, Hung CC2, Chang SY3, Liu WC2, Wu CH2, Su YC2, Wu PY4, Luo YZ4, Chang LH2, Sun HY2, Chang SC2.

• 1Department of Internal Medicine, Tzu-Chi Hospital and Tzu-Chi University College of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan.
• 2Departments of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
• 3Departments of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
• 4Center of Infection Control, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.  

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