HIV/HCV co-infection is a frequent event due to the similarity of the means of transmission of both viruses; 30-50% of HIV infected individuals are co-infected¹. This paper assesses the possible association among HCV and HIV genotypes in co-infected patients based on frequency distribution in mono and co-infected patients. To determine HIV and HCV genotype frequency 124 and 496 respectively, mono infected patients were analyzed. The study of co-infection was performed in 150 HIV positive patients and 22 (14.7%) patients were found. The frequency of HIV-1 subtypes was 106 B subtype (85.5%), 16 F (12.9%), and 2 B/F recombinant (1.6%); HCV genotypes were 1a (25%), 1b (29.4%), 1a/1b (3.6%), 3a (35%), 2 (1.8%) and 5 (0.4%). The HCV genotype could not be determined in 6.3% of samples using the technique. The HIV-1 subtype distribution standard was B subtype (85.0%) and F subtype (15.0%) in mono-infected as in co-infected. The frequency distribution of HCV genotypes in co-infected was 1a (36.4%), 1b (27.3%), 1a/1b (9.1%) and 3a (27.3%). These results showed a 10% increase in frequency of 1a genotype, 7.7% decrease in 3 genotype and lack of other genotypes. The statistical analysis of association of HCV genotypes and HIV-1 subtypes (Goodman Test) showed a predominance of the B HIV subtype among HCV genotype 1, and among HCV genotype 3 the distribution of B and F HIV subtypes was casual. These results suggest the need for further studies in this group and larger samples.
Co-infection HIV/HCV; Genotype; Subtype
