Guides

Hepatitis C for people living with HIV

HIV treatment is now highly effective and modern HCV drugs (DAAs) cure more than 95% people.

The information in this guide should help you feel more in control of some of the treatment choices. This includes the current difficulty of getting access to DAAs.

This should help you can focus on other things you want to do in life.

The 2017 edition of this guide has been updated throughout.

Introduction

HCV – but that is easy to cure?

First questions

Hepatitis C transmission

Natural history of hepatitis C

New infections in HIV positive gay men

Long-term coinfection from blood products or by injection drug use

Testing and monitoring

DAAs: modern HCV treatment

Getting DAAs in the UK: drug access and buying generics

Old HCV drugs: peginterferon and ribavirin

Research into new drugs

Deciding whether to treat hepatitis C – when DAAs are not available

Living with coinfection

Other viral hepatitis infections

Controversial aspects of HCV

HIV vs. hepatitis C: similarities and differences

Further information

Diagram: the liver and related organs

Lab results record sheet

PDFs and downloads

References

Feedback

Credits and disclaimer

Written and compiled by Simon Collins and Tracy Swan for HIV i-Base.

Thanks to doctors in the medical advisory group: Sanjay Bhagani, Duncan Churchill, Ed Ong, Alison Rodger and Chris Taylor.

Also to the community advisory group: Támas Bereczky, Polly Clayden, Giulio Maria Corbelli, Marc Ennals, Juanse Hernandez, Robert James, Maxime Journiac, Luís Mendão, Gemma Peppé, David Stuart, Kate Thomson and Miguel Vázquez for review comments and to Beth Higgins for drawings.

People living with HIV and HCV are included in the review group and have provided additional contributions and comments.

Thanks to the Monument Trust for continued financial support.

Cover design and original layout of print edition by No Days Off. Produced by HIV i-Base.

ISBN: 1754-5633.

Disclaimer:  information in this booklet is not intended to replace information from your doctor. Decisions relating to treatment should always be taken in consultation with your doctor.

About our guides

Information about how we produced this guide and the importance of using language that is direct and easy to understand.

This includes information on how to write non technical medical information that may be useful as a resource for other organisations.

Last updated: 17 August 2017.