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Incidence of sexually acquired acute HCV rising in Europe
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GLASGOW — Analysis of patients from the large EuroSIDA cohort revealed a significant increase in the incidence of acute hepatitis C virus from 2002 to 2010.
Researchers used data from EuroSIDA participants who were HCV antibody-negative at baseline and had at least two HCV antibody test results available.
At the HIV11 Congress, Ole Kirk, MD, of the Copenhagen HIV Program at University of Copenhagen, reported 150 HCV seroconversions that occurred in 4,296 patients during nearly 19,000 person-years of follow-up. Two-thirds were among men who have sex with men.
The overall incidence of HCV was 0.79 acute infections per 100 person-years of follow-up (95% CI, 0.67-0.92). The incidence of acute HCV rose over time, by 29% for every 2 calendar years, Kirk said during his presentation.
The incidence of HCV seroconversions increased from 0.47 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 0.19-0.74) in 2002 to 2.34 per 100-person-years (95% CI, 1.24-3.44) in 2010.
For this study, HCV seroconversion was defined as change in HCV antibody test from negative to positive during the follow-up period. Follow-up occurred from baseline to HCV antibody positivity for seroconverters and to the last HCV antibody-negative test for non-seroconverters, according to the study abstract.
In multivariate analysis, IV drug use was associated with a higher incidence rate ratio than MSM. “Although the incidence of seroconversion was 54% higher in MSM than in heterosexuals, IV drug users had the highest incidence of HCV seroconversion,” Kirk said.
Similar patterns were observed in patients across all European countries (P=.89), with the highest incidence rate ratios in southern and eastern Europe.
“These results highlight the need for increased prevention efforts in all European countries, particularly for MSM and IV drug users,” Kirk said. “We need to have a better understanding of HCV and mode of transmission.”
The ongoing, observational, international, multicenter PROBE-C study will examine the natural history and treatment of acute HCV in HIV-positive patients in Europe.
For more information:
Kirk O. #O242. Presented at: HIV11 Congress; Nov. 11-15, 2012; Glasgow.
Disclosure: Kirk reports no relevant financial disclosures.