Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Infections among Patients Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics, Regional 2, Thai land

Abstract

A cross-sectional study of 400 patients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics at The Venereal Diseases and AIDS Centers, Regional 2, Thailand, was conducted from January to December 1996 in order to investigate the antibody prevalence to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to describe some epidemiological characteristics among HIV and HCV co-infected individuals. The studied patients were interviewed and their blood specimens were collected for determining anti-HIV and anti-HCV antibodies. The results revealed that the prevalence of anti-HIV among studied patients was 25%, while 7.5% were positive for anti-HCV. The positivity of both antibodies present in the same individuals was 3.3% (13/400 cases). The highest prevalences of anti-HIV, anti-HCV and both antibodies were found in studied patients aged 20 years or less. Patients with primary education, or lower, had relatively higher prevalence of anti-HIV and/or anti-HCV than those with higher level education. A relatively higher prevalence was found among commercial sex workers and labourers. Among 13 HIV and HCV co-infected individuals, there were four cases who had histories of sexual contact without condom use, but no history of parenteral contact. The rest (9/13) had histories of both parenteral contact and sexual contact without condom use.

How much do blood exposures contribute to HIV prevalence in female sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa, Thailand and India?

“…In Ratchaburi and Saraburi, over 9% were anti-HCV positive, and anti-HCV prevalence was greater in HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative FSWs. 39,40 In Ratchaburi, anti-HCV prevalence was 23% in women who had worked nine or more years as FSWs compared with 6.7% in women who had worked four years or less. 39 For comparison, anti-HCV prevalence was 1.5-2.1% in Thai blood donors during the same period.…”

“…39 For comparison, anti-HCV prevalence was 1.5-2.1% in Thai blood donors during the same period. 40 One study in Thailand reported that three FSWs were IDUs; 40 none of the other studies in Africa, India or Thailand reported illegal drug use among FSWs.…”

Complete genomes for hepatitis C virus subtypes 6f, 6i, 6j and 6m: viral genetic diversity among Thai blood donors and infected spouses

“…Transmission is also associated with other parenteral exposures, such as tattooing, ear or body piercing, surgery, acupuncture, haemodialysis, occupational needle-stick injuries and other health-care procedures (Alter, 1994;Alter et al, 1990). Although the efficiency of HCV transmission through sexual or household contact is not yet understood entirely (Luksamijarulkul et al, 2000;Romanowski et al, 2003), the observation of closely related HCV sequences obtained from infected couples or sexual partners could be interpreted as evidence of HCV sexual transmission (Capelli et al, 1997;Chayama et al, 1995;Halfon et al, 2001;Healey et al, 1995;Kao et al, 1992Kao et al, , 2000Komine et al, 1999;Nakayama et al, 2005;Quer et al, 2003;Rice et al, 1993;Romanowski et al, 2003;Ross et al, 1999;Thaikruea et al, 2004;Yagura et al, 2002).…”

Hepatitis C among child transfusion and adult renal dialysis patients in Indonesia.

“…Current research related to coinfection of HCV and HIV may provide opportunities for screening among representative sample populations in the future. 20,21 …”