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
- What is hepatitis C?
- What should I do first after a hepatitis C diagnosis?
- Are people around me now at risk?
- Hepatitis A and B
Hepatitis C transmission
Natural history of hepatitis C
- Acute infection – chronic infection
- HIV and HCV coinfection
- What does your liver do?
- How does HCV affect your health?
- How can you protect your liver?
New infections in HIV positive gay men
Long-term coinfection from blood products or by injection drug use
Testing and monitoring
- Tests to diagnose HCV
- Tests to monitor HCV
- HCV genotype and subtype
- Liver enzyme tests and others
- Screening for liver cancer in people with cirrhosis
- Measuring liver stiffness (FibroScan)
- Other non-invasive biomarkers
- Liver biopsy – now rarely needed
- Screening for liver cancer in people with cirrhosis
DAAs: modern HCV treatment
- Introduction to DAAs: different classes and currently approved drugs
- Who needs HCV treatment?
- How is HCV treated: which DAAs and for how long
- What about side effects?
- Goals of HCV treatment
- Predicting the response to treatment
- Treating acute HCV
- HIV and HCV treatment for people with coinfection
- DAAs and HBV reactivation
- Retreating HCV
- Drug interactions between HCV and HIV meds
- HCV treatment and people who inject drugs
- Management of cirrhosis
- Liver transplant in people with HIV/HCV coinfection
Getting DAAs in the UK: drug access and buying generics
Old HCV drugs: peginterferon and ribavirin
- Old HCV drugs: peginterferon and ribavirin
- Side effects with 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.