Trends and determinants of C virus infection among people living with HIV in Slovenia : a nationwide study, 1986–2024

Lunar, Maja M. (author), Seme, Katja (author), Poljak, Mario (author)

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) share transmission routes and cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Three previous nationwide studies reported a low prevalence of HCV infection among Slovenian people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: Data were collected de novo from 526 PLWH newly diagnosed with HIV in Slovenia between January 1st, 2014, and December 31st, 2024, and combined with data from previous studies on this topic. Results: Altogether 1,085 (93%) PLWH were tested for HCV at HIV diagnosis: 82 (7.6%) had anti-HCV antibodies (49 or 59.8% of them viremic), and three had HCV RNA only, resulting in an HCV prevalence of 7.8%. A significant increase in the prevalence of HCV infection has been observed over the last decade. HCV infection was significantly associated with female sex, foreign nationality, parenteral HIV transmission route, and non-B HIV subtype. The most frequent HCV genotypes were 1 (60%), 3 (22%), and 4 (16%), markedly different than previously found in the general population. Conclusions: The overall prevalence of HCV infection among PLWH in Slovenia remains low, but a significant increase has been observed in the last decade compared to the previous one. Such a situation requires further regular and tight monitoring to allow timely interventions if and when needed.

• Language: English
• Keywords: HIV, hepatitis C, prevalence, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 33-36
• Numbering: Vol. 35, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184308
• UDC: 616.9
• ISSN on article: 1318-4458
• DOI: 10.15570/actaapa.2026.2
• COBISS.SI-ID: 277556739

Copyright

Na pristajalni strani revije: https://acta-apa.mf.uni-lj.si/submissions.php navedeno, da je članek objavljen z licenco CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

• Publication date in RUL: 03.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta dermatovenerologica Alpina, Panonica et Adriatica
• Shortened title: Acta dermatovenerolog. Alp. Panon. Adriat.
• Publisher: Association of Slovenian Dermatovenerologists
• ISSN: 1318-4458
• COBISS.SI-ID: 31649024

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: HIV, hepatitis C, prevalenca, Slovenija

Projects

• Funder: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institut of Microbiology and Immnology

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0083
• Name: Odnosi parazitskega obstajanja