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Michigan State University (MSU) researchers
report the need for stronger protections—vaccination for hepatitis B and
additional blood transfusion safeguards—to prevent hepatitis coinfection for
HIV-infected people. Based on a review of all registered Michigan HIV cases,
lead researcher Zahid Butt stated that approximately four percent of
HIV-infected people were coinfected with hepatitis. Butt asserted that the
prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B and C coinfection in Michigan was higher than
expected, given the existing blood screening protocols.
According to CDC, HIV infection
“more than triples” the risk of death from liver disease and liver failure for
people with hepatitis C. Hepatitis B and C attack the liver; untreated
hepatitis infections can be fatal.
In contrast to earlier studies that
indicated African-American males have higher coinfection rates, the MSU study
found males who marked their race as “other” had the highest coinfection rates.
Butt theorized the higher rates among this group were due to insufficient
safeguards during blood transfusions and lack of hepatitis B vaccination. He
suggested the high coinfection cohort might have originated in countries that
do not require childhood immunization for hepatitis B. Distrust of the
healthcare system could also discourage people from hepatitis B immunization.
To prevent future hepatitis
infections among HIV-infected persons, Butt recommended “proper screening” of
blood products used for transfusions and hepatitis vaccination for all
HIV-infected individuals.
The full report, “Hepatitis B and C
Co-infection in HIV/AIDS Population in the State of Michigan,” was published
online March 12, 2013, in the journal Epidemiology and Infection at
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23481310.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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