HIV and hepatitis C are often diagnosed together, physician says

An expert on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) recently wrote on Medscape Today that patients with HIV often have hepatitis C as well.

Douglas Fish, the chief of the Division of HIV Medicine at Albany Medical Center said that from 15 to 30 percent of HIV-positive individuals are also infected with the hepatitis C virus.

He added that this figure rises to 90 percent for people who contracted HIV through intravenous drug abuse.

Many of these co-infected individuals can treat the symptoms of hepatitis C, which include jaundice and liver inflammation, with a cocktail of medications including two antivirals called pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

Fish concluded that the multiplicity of prescription medications available for HIV and hepatitis C patients should encourage physicians to pursue many treatment options.

Neither disease is currently curable. Both hepatitis C and HIV may be managed with medications, but hepatitis infections are more serious and extensive in patients with the immunodeficiency virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Individuals concerned that they have contracted either of these STDs may consider checking the state of their sexual health by investing in online testing services.

Approximately 1 million Americans are living with HIV and another 2.6 million with hepatitis C, the CDC estimates.