Coinfection with hepatitis C virus and HIV: The challenges of management

Coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common in HIV-infected individuals, presumably because of the shared route of transmission of these viruses. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has made liver disease caused by HCV a predominant cause of morbidity and mortality among coinfected patients. Patients with HIV infection therefore should be evaluated for the presence of HCV. If the patient is found to be coinfected, a multidisciplinary team should determine whether the individual is a candidate for treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. This article details the principles of successful management of this challenging patient population. Copyright © 2006 by Current Science Inc.