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One out of every 4 people with HIV also has hepatitis C. "Coinfection" with hepatitis C and HIV is common because both viruses share a similar route of transmission: exposure to infected blood. Unlike HIV, the risk for transmitting hepatitis C through sexual intercourse is low, but unprotected sex with several partners raises that risk. Thus, different people may be more or less likely to have both infections:
- Coinfection is a medical term meaning that you have two or more infections in your body at the same time. If you have HIV and hepatitis C coinfection, then you have both HIV and hepatitis C. These two illnesses are very different, so it is important that you learn about both of them.
- Coinfection with HIV and hepatitis C is common among people who became infected from injection drug use.
- HIV/hepatitis C coinfection is also common among persons with hemophilia who received clotting factor concentrates (before 1987).
- For persons infected with HIV through sexual exposure, coinfection with hepatitis C is no more common than it would be for anyone else.
Find out more details about hepatitis C treatment for people also living with HIV.
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