Hepatitis C and HIV Spells Double Trouble

by Debbie Delgado-Vega

40% of HIV infected patients have Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C, a major cause of liver disease, was first identified only 10 years ago. Today, it has spread to epidemic proportions. Over 4 million Americans are infected with Hepatitis C. More than 85% are chronically infected.

Hispanics are disproportionately represented in the Hepatitis C epidemic. One out of every 50 Hispanics in the U. S. is infected. Hepatitis C is a serious blood borne viral infection which untreated can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis or scaring of the liver, and is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. As in HIV disease, many people do not realize they are infected with Hepatitis C because symptoms are not always apparent.

Today, many people are infected with both HIV and Hepatitis C. These "Twin Epidemics" spell "double trouble" for those infected by both viruses. Hepatitis C and HIV are common co-infections because they share many of the same risk factors. Common risk factors for Hepatitis C include: intravenous drug use, intranasal drug use, blood transfusions prior to 1992, tattoos, body piercing, sharing personal care items such as razors, toothbrushes and nail clippers. Forty percent of HIV-infected patients have Hepatitis C. If a person acquired HIV by intravenous drug use the chances of also being infected with Hepatitis C increase 80% to 90%.

Why is Hepatitis C and HIV coinfection so serious? Hepatitis C is one of the major reasons that patients require liver transplantation. It is estimated that there will be a fourfold increase in deaths due to Hepatitis C and an increase in the number of patients requiring liver transplantation. HIV infected patients are now living long enough for the impact of Hepatitis C on the liver to become apparent.

There is still a lot to learn about what happens to patients that are co-infected with Hepatitis C and HIV. Hepatitis C infected patients with HIV coinfection. have an increased rate of occurrence of cirrhosis, and a more rapid progression toward liver failure.

Get Tested ... Get Treated! People who are at high risk, as described above, should get tested immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment of Hepatitis C can prevent the disease from progressing into chronic liver disease. According to coinfection experts, all HIV patients should be screened for Hepatitis C given the large percentage of people that are infected by both.

What Treatment is Available? In the past year combination therapy has become available. Rebetron (Schering Plough) therapy combines Rebetol (ribavirin) capsules, and Intron A (interferon alfa-2b) as an injection three times a week. Forty percent of patients treated with the combination therapy will have a sustained viral clearance.

However, there are side effects with treatment The most common are flu-like feelings, fatigue, and depression. Such therapy should be prescribed and monitored by health care professionals who are knowledgeable about HIV and Hepatitis, and their medication regimens.

Get More Information ... Educate Yourself and Others! The Latino Organization for liver Awareness (LOLA) can provide you more information on liver disease, Hepatitis C, HIV coinfection, and transplantation. Executive Director, Debbie Delgado-Vega, herself a liver transplant patient, created LOLA in 1994 to support and advocate on behalf of Hispanics with liver disease. Call LOLA at (718) 892-8697.