In developing countries many patients affected by hepatitis C, which can cause severe liver disease and death, are also HIV positive. Treatment is complicated due to high treatment costs, the absence of the high-tech equipment needed to make a diagnosis and the lack of clinical expertise. ITM researchers are running a pilot treatment project in Cambodia to help shape a replicable model of care, as they did in the early 2000s for antiretroviral treatment against HIV. Data will also be used to develop simple clinical decision-making tools that can help bypass the need for the high-tech equipment and costly tests.

Hepatitis C treatment for HIV patients in resource-poor countries: is a public health approach possible?

Principal investigator

• Lut Lynen (Department of Clinical Sciences)

Co-promoters

• Johan van Griensven (Department of Clinical Sciences)
• Eric Florence (Department of Clinical Sciences)

SOFI Budget

• € 592,571

Country

• Cambodia

Key facts

• Chronic hepatitis C is a significant public health problem, which can cause severe liver disease and death.
• Its major disease burden is concentrated in low- and middle-income countries.
• Hepatitis C can be cured, but to date treatment success has been low, the duration of treatment long and side effects very taxing.
• But the situation is changing; better and shorter treatments with fewer side effects are now becoming available.