Early
Treatment of Acute HIV and Hepatitis C in People with Simultaneous Coinfection
 Simultaneous
early treatment of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) during the acute phase of infection
leads to good outcomes in people who contract both viruses at the same time, according
to a study published in the August
1, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. |
|
By
Liz Highleyman Most
research to date indicates that treatment
of HIV during primary or acute infection does not lead to superior long-term
outcomes, while treating acute hepatitis
C does produce high sustained response rates. There is limited data, however,
about clinical outcomes and immunological response among people who acquire both
viruses simultaneously. Julian
Schulze zur Wiesch and colleagues from Germany presented results of a detailed
clinical and immunological analysis of 3 individuals with concomitant acute HCV
and primary HIV infection. Two were infected via needle sticks (both HCV
genotype 3) and one presumably through male-to-male sexual transmission (HCV
genotype 1). All
received triple combination antiretroviral
therapy (ART) for HIV and 48 weeks of pegylated
interferon alfa for hepatitis C (1 also received ribavirin). The investigators
looked at changes in viral load and CD4 cell count, as well as virus-specific
T-cell immune responses. Results  | All
3 patients cleared HCV during pegylated interferon treatment, and maintained a
sustained virological response 6 months after completing therapy. |  | All
3 also achieved undetectable HIV viral load while on ART. |  | 2
patients maintained HIV suppression after interrupting ART. |  | This
outcome was associated with strong HIV-specific CD8 and CD4 T-cell responses.
|  | These
2 patients also exhibited multi-specific anti-HCV CD4 T-cell responses. |  | The
third patient -- who had the lowest CD4 nadir (lowest level) during primary HIV
infection (< 200 cells/mm3) -- showed no evidence of HCV-specific CD4 T-cell
responses. |
Based
on these findings, the investigators concluded, "Anti-HIV and -HCV therapy
should be considered early in cases of concomitant acute HCV and HIV coinfection,
because successful therapy of HCV viremia seems possible even during primary HIV
infection." "HCV-specific
T-cell immunity is generated during primary HIV infection and can be preserved
by HCV treatment," they added. "However, the optimal treatment algorithm
needs to be established in prospective, randomized trials." Departments
of Medicine and Transfusion Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf,
Germany; Heinrich-Pette-Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology, Hamburg,
Germany. 9/11/09 Reference J
Schulze zur Wiesch, D Pieper, I Stahmer, and others. Sustained Virological Response
after Early Antiviral Treatment of Acute Hepatitis C Virus and HIV Coinfection.
Clinical Infectious Diseases 49(3): 466-472. August 1, 2009. (Abstract).
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