There is a consistently higher hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -infected individuals than HIV-negative individuals across all risk groups and regions, but especially in people who inject drugs (PWID). This according to review and meta-analysis of global databases measuring the prevalence of HCV and HIV. Researchers found:

• In HIV-infected individuals, HIV-HCV coinfection was:

◊ 2.4% within general population samples.

◊ 4.0% within pregnant or heterosexually exposed samples.

◊ 6.4% in men who have sex with men.

◊ 82.4% in PWID.

• Odds of HCV infection were 6 times higher in people living with HIV than their HIV-negative counterparts.

• Worldwide, there are about 2,278,400 HIV-HCV coinfections, of which 1,362,700 are in PWID, equaling an overall coinfection prevalence in HIV-infected individuals of 6.2%.

Citation: Platt L, Easterbrook P, Gower E, et al. Prevalence and burden of HCV co-infection in people living with HIV: a global systematic review and meta-analysis. [Published online ahead of print February 24, 2016]. Lancet Infect Dis. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00485-5.