In 2009, we conducted a case–control study to
explore the routes of HCV transmission in people living with
HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Cambodia. Cases were HCV/HIV
co-infected patients (who tested RT-PCR positive for HCVRNA
or had confirmed presence of HCV antibodies)
(n = 44). Controls were HIV mono-infected patients, with
no HCV antibodies (n = 160). They were recruited among
the PLHIV presenting at one national reference centre of
HIV/AIDS. Multivariate analysis showed that factors associated
with the co-infection were the age older than 50 years
(OR 5.4, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.5–19.6), the
exposure to multiple parenteral infusions before the year
2000 (OR 3.4, 95 % CI 1.5–7.6), to surgery (OR 2.6, 95 % CI
1.2–5.7) and to fibroscopy (OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.0–5.7). These
results show the need to implement HCV screening in
PLHIV, to support the implementation of national infection
control guidelines, and to reinforce public awareness on the
risks linked to parenteral medications.