Question

Is treatment difficult for hepatitis C if I am HIV positive?

23 June 2010. Related: All topics, Complications and coinfections, Drug interactions.

Hi there!

I’ve been informed that my ex-partner is hepatitis C positive! We are both HIV positive. I’m going to my clinic to get tested in two weeks but am very worried about this!

If an HIV positive person becomes hepatitis C positive, I’ve heard that treatment is difficult for both the HIV and the hepatitis C. Can you tell me if that’s true as I am going out of my mind with worry but the clinic cant see me sooner as the consultant is on holiday.

Also now that I know this how does someone protect themselves from contracting hepatitis C? Is there a vaccination available?

Thanks Guys

Answer

Answer: Charlotte Walker

Thank you for your question.

First of all, please don’t worry. In the UK around 5% of HIV positive people are co-infected with hepatitis C. Generally co-infection can complicate things but it is manageable.

Up to 20% of HIV positive people with hepatitis C clear the infection without treatment within the first few months. Some treatment for hepatitis C interfere with HIV treatments. Some people find they get on well with treatments whilst others find them difficult to take. As with HIV treatment, hepatitis C drugs are very individual. For more information about hepatitis C treatment and management please follow this link.

The good thing is new research has discovered that the likelihood of responding to treatment can be predicted based on someone’s DNA. For more information about this please follow this link.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is transmitted in the same way as HIV and so modes of protection are similar for both infections.

For more general information on co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C please follow this link to the i-Base booklet.