Hepatitis & HIV

Patient groups campaign for better HIV/HCV treatment and care in southern Europe

Michael Carter
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Patient organisations in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain have joined together to create a network called SENCA to campaign for better treatment and care for patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus in southern Europe.

Rates of HIV and hepatitis C coinfection range between 30% - 70% in regions of southern Europe, and liver-related illness is now a major cause of death amongst HIV-positive individuals in the region.

HIV can speed up the progression of hepatitis C virus, and although treatment for hepatitis C is available, it only works in about a third of HIV-positive patients with long-term hepatitis C virus infection. Treatment for hepatitis C virus can involve unpleasant side-effects. It is also recognised that coinfected individuals live with increased psychological and social pressures.

Glossary

hepatitis B virus (HBV)

The hepatitis B virus can be spread through sexual contact, sharing of contaminated needles and syringes, needlestick injuries and during childbirth. Hepatitis B infection may be either short-lived and rapidly cleared in less than six months by the immune system (acute infection) or lifelong (chronic). The infection can lead to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. A vaccine is available to prevent the infection.

Because of the variability in the care, services and support available to coinfected patients in southern Europe, a meeting of patient organisations was held in Bilbao in late 2007 leading to the creation of SENCA.

Since then the network has been working to increase access to anti-hepatitis C therapy and, when appropriate liver transplants, for HIV-positive patients. Another priority has been an engagement with investigators to help influence research agendas.

SENCA has four priorities for the rest of 2008:

  • Advocacy and networking.
  • Initiate a study to find out why coinfected individuals in need of a liver transplant are not having appropriate referrals.
  • To promote guidelines for the treatment of hepatitis C and liver transplantation in coinfected patients and to ensure that there is harmony between such guidelines across southern Europe.
  • Establish a constructive dialogue with the European Register of Liver Transplant in Coinfected People.

Guidelines for liver transplants in HIV-positive patients were issued in the UK in 2005, and British guidelines for the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C coinfection were developed in 2004. A number of studies have shown good outcomes in HIV-positive patients treated with antiretroviral therapy who have liver transplants because of hepatitis C virus or hepatitis B virus.

Further information on SENCA can be obtained from Joan Tallada.

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