• Charlene Siza, Danae Bixler, and Sherri Davidson.
• From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, and the Alabama Department of Public Health, Montgomery.
• South. Med. J. 2020 Jun 1; 113 (6): 298-304.

ObjectivesPeople living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of other infections, including viral hepatitis, which can complicate the treatment and progression of the disease. We sought to characterize Alabama cases of HIV co-infected with hepatitis C virus or hepatitis B virus.MethodsUsing surveillance data, we defined co-infection as a person identified as having hepatitis C or hepatitis B and HIV during 2007-2016. We compared demographics, outcomes, and risk factors for co-infected versus monoinfected individuals with HIV. We mapped co-infected individuals' distribution.ResultsOf 5824 people with HIV, 259 (4.4%) were co-infected with hepatitis C (antibody or RNA positive) and 145 (2.5%) with hepatitis B (surface antigen, e antigen, or DNA positive) during 2007-2016. Individuals with HIV and hepatitis C had a greater odds of injection drug use (adjusted odds ratio 9.7; 95% confidence interval 6.0-15.5). Individuals with HIV and hepatitis B had a greater odds of male-to-male sexual contact (adjusted odds ratio 1.7; 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.6). Co-infection was greater in urban public health districts.ConclusionsWe identified risk behaviors among Alabama populations associated with increased odds for HIV and viral hepatitis co-infection. Outreach, prevention, testing, and treatment resources can be targeted to these populations.

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