Chronic HCV and HIV coinfection

Abstract

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was described in the early 1980s. As no treatment options existed at that time, most patients eventually died from infections following the impaired immune system. So-called opportunistic infections, such as pneumocystis pneumonia, cryptococcal meningitis, and mycobacterial infections or AIDS-related malignancies (e.g., lymphoma) were the main cause of mortality in these patients. Some of these infections have the ability to affect the liver and these conditions as well as AIDS-associated malignancies infi ltrating the liver determined the hepatologist's focus in this setting.