Hepatitis C: A Common Coinfection among People Living with HIV

Among the estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, approximately 25% – that’s about 300,000 people – are also coinfected with chronic hepatitis C. Unlike the situation with HIV, where advances in treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy have resulted in reductions in HIV-related morbidity and mortality, treatment of persons infected with hepatitis C has lagged behind.  National estimates suggest that as of 2013, only 16% of people living with hepatitis C (mono-infection) have been treated and only 9% have achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR).¹ Until 2013, the standard of care treatment for hepatitis C included a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin which achieved a relatively low rate of SVR, required up to 48 weeks of treatment, had multiple contraindications, and caused side effects for many patients. Since 2013 however, several direct-acting antiviral medications have been approved that have greater than 90% cure rates with few side effects.^2, 3  (Learn more about HIV and viral hepatitis coinfection. [PDF 329 KB])

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