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Taylor LE, Foont JA, DeLong AK, Wurcel A, Linas BP, Chapman S, Maynard MA, Cu-Uvin S, Mayer KH. The spectrum of undiagnosed hepatitis C virus infection in a US HIV clinic. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2014; 28:4-9. [PMID: 24428794 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2013.0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
United States guidelines endorse one-time HCV antibody screening at HIV diagnosis. Rescreening HCV-seronegative patients on a regular basis is still not policy, although HIV-infected persons have reasonably substantial HCV incidence. We evaluated routine risk factor-independent HCV antibody re-testing in a Rhode Island HIV clinic. We instituted annual HCV antibody testing for HCV-seronegative patients who had not been rescreened in a year or more. Testing based on clinical suspicion continued. We conducted a chart review of new antibody-positive cases in the first year of rescreening, July 2006 to June 2007. Of 245 rescreened patients, 11 (4.5%) seroconverted. Five (45%) were female. Median time between last negative and first positive result was 32 months (range 8-98 months). Six (55%) had documented risk factors and 6 (55%) elevated ALT (> 45 IU/L) between antibody tests; none prompted re-testing. One seroconverter died of hepatocellular carcinoma 3.7 years after HCV diagnosis. A twelfth was rescreened for suspected acute HCV based on ALT of 515 IU/L. He had newly detectable HCV RNA then seroconversion, and achieved SVR following 6 months of treatment in the acute phase for genotype 1 infection. Incident HCV is not uncommon among HIV-infected patients in care. Rescreening identified undiagnosed HCV in this population. HCV RNA should be checked promptly in HCV-seronegative persons with ALT elevation. We observed consequences of late diagnosis (hepatocellular carcinoma) and benefits of early diagnosis (cure with treatment of acute HCV). Adding annual rescreening to the Ryan White Program would facilitate earlier identification of undiagnosed HCV and create an instant widespread surveillance system, providing HCV incidence data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn E. Taylor
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Center for AIDS Research, Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Julie A. Foont
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Allison K. DeLong
- Department of Center for Statistical Studies, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - Benjamin P. Linas
- Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stacey Chapman
- Center for AIDS Research, Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - Susan Cu-Uvin
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Center for AIDS Research, Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kenneth H. Mayer
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Bhagat V, Foont JA, Schiff ER, Regev A. Spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus after liver transplantation in two patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. Liver Transpl 2008; 14:92-5. [PMID: 18161776 DOI: 10.1002/lt.21351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous resolution of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is exceedingly rare and poorly understood. As HCV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have shared routes of transmission, HCV coinfection is estimated to affect 15%-30% of the HIV-positive population. We report 2 patients with HCV-HIV coinfection who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at our center and had spontaneous clearance of their chronic HCV infection after transplantation without any anti-HCV treatment. Both patients showed no evidence of HCV recurrence for more than 3 years despite long-term immunosuppressant therapy. Spontaneous clearance of chronic HCV infection can occur in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients after liver transplantation. The mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Bhagat
- Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Hepatology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Foont JA, Schiff ER. Avoid the tragedy of hepatitis B reactivation in immunosuppressed patients. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 4:128-9. [PMID: 17262070 DOI: 10.1038/ncpgasthep0740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2006] [Accepted: 12/07/2006] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Foont
- Center For Liver Diseases, Suite 1101, East Tower, Jackson Medical Towers, 1500 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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