Patterns of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected and HIV-negative Men Who Have Sex With Men

BACKGROUND

Sexually transmitted acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections (AHIs) have been mainly described in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men who have sex with men (MSM). Cases in HIV-negative MSM are scarce. We describe the epidemic of AHI in HIV-infected and HIV-negative MSM in Lyon, France.

METHODS

All cases of AHI diagnosed in MSM in Lyon University Hospital from 2014 to 2017 were included. AHI incidence was determined in HIV-infected and in preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-using MSM. Transmission clusters were identified by construction of phylogenetic trees based on HCV NS5B (genotype 1a/4d) or NS5A (genotype 3a) Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

From 2014 to 2017, 108 AHIs (80 first infections, 28 reinfections) were reported in 96 MSM (HIV-infected, 72; HIV-negative, 24). AHI incidence rose from 1.1/100 person-years (95 confidence interval [CI], 0.7-1.7) in 2014 to 2.4/100 person-years (95 CI, 1.1-2.6) in 2017 in HIV-infected MSM (P = .05) and from 0.3/100 person-years (95 CI, 0.06-1.0) in 2016 to 3.4/100 person-years (95 CI, 2.0-5.5) in 2017 in PrEP users (P < .001). Eleven clusters were identified. All clusters included HIV-infected MSM; 6 also included HIV-negative MSM. All clusters started with ≥1 HIV-infected MSM. Risk factor distribution varied among clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

AHI incidence increased in both HIV-infected and HIV-negative MSM. Cluster analysis suggests initial transmission from HIV-infected to HIV-negative MSM through chemsex and traumatic sexual practices, leading to mixed patterns of transmission regardless of HIV status and no overlap with the general population.

Direct-acting antiviral therapy decreases hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rate in cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Arrival of direct-acting antiviral agents against hepatitis C virus with high-sustained virological response rates and very few side effects has drastically changed the management of hepatitis C virus infection. The impact of direct-acting antiviral exposure on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after a first remission in patients with advanced fibrosis remains to be clarified.

METHODS

68 consecutive hepatitis C virus patients with a first hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and under remission, subsequently treated or not with a direct-acting antiviral combination, were included. Clinical, biological and virological data were collected at first hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis, at remission and during the surveillance period.

RESULTS

All patients were cirrhotic. Median age was 62 years and 76% of patients were male. Twenty-three patients (34%) were treated with direct-acting antivirals and 96% of them achieved sustained virological response. Median time between hepatocellular carcinoma remission and direct-acting antivirals initiation was 7.2 months (IQR: 3.6-13.5; range: 0.3-71.4) and median time between direct-acting antivirals start and hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence was 13.0 months (IQR: 9.2-19.6; range: 3.0-24.7). Recurrence rate was 1.7/100 person-months among treated patients vs 4.2/100 person-months among untreated patients (P=.008). In multivariate survival analysis, the hazard ratio for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after direct-acting antivirals exposure was 0.24 (95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.55; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rate was significantly lower among patients treated with direct-acting antivirals compared with untreated patients. Given the potential impact of our observation, large-scale prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm these results.