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Large transmission cluster of acute hepatitis C identified among HIV‐positive men who have sex with men in Bangkok, Thailand
Author(s) -
Han Win M.,
Colby Donn J.,
Khlaiphuengsin Apichaya,
Apornpong Tanakorn,
Kerr Stephen J.,
Ubolyam Sasiwimol,
Kroon Eugène,
Phanuphak Nittaya,
Vasan Sandhya,
Matthews Gail V.,
Avihingsa Anchalee,
Ruxrungtham Kiat,
Phanuphak Praphan,
Tangkijvanich Pisit
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/liv.14578
Subject(s) - men who have sex with men , medicine , dengue fever , transmission (telecommunications) , virology , hepatitis c , interquartile range , genotype , cluster (spacecraft) , outbreak , ns5b , hepatitis c virus , syphilis , immunology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , hepacivirus , biology , virus , genetics , gene , computer science , electrical engineering , programming language , engineering
Abstract A rapidly emerging and highly concentrated hepatitis C virus (HCV) outbreak has recently been observed among both acute and chronic HIV‐positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Bangkok, Thailand. NS5B regions of the HCV genome were amplified using nested PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic inference was constructed by Maximum Likelihood methods and clusters were identified with support and genetic distance thresholds of 85% and of 4.5%. Forty‐eight (25 acute HIV and 23 chronic HIV) MSM with incident HCV infection were included in the analysis. HCV genotype (GT) was 85% GT 1a and 15% GT 3a or 3b. Median age at HCV diagnosis was 34 (interquartile range, 28‐41) years. 83.3% (40/48) had history of syphilis infection and 36% (16/44) reported crystal methamphetamine use. Only 2 (4%) reported ever injecting drugs, both crystal methamphetamine. In the phylogenetic clustering analysis, 83% belonged to one of two clusters: one large (75%) and one small (8%) cluster. All clusters were GT 1a. MSM with acute HIV infection were more likely to be in a cluster (92%) than those with chronic infection (74%). HCV screening should be regularly performed for MSM in ART clinics, and offering direct‐acting antiviral agents to all MSM with HCV infection might contain the HCV epidemic from expanding further.