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Objective:

To characterize the mode of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in a recent epidemic of acute HCV in HIV-infected individuals using linked molecular and clinical epidemiological studies.

Design:

Individuals diagnosed with acute HCV between 1999 and 2005 at three urban HIV units in the UK were enrolled into a phylogenetic and case–control study. Phylogenetic trees were constructed from the amplified sequences of the E1/E2 region of the HCV genome and were used to compare cases with unrelated sequences. A questionnaire-based, case–control study using matched controls recruited from each HIV unit identified putative transmission factors.

Results:

One hundred and eleven HIV-positive men who have sex with men with acute HCV (genotype 1: 84%) were enrolled. Phylogenetic analysis of 93 E1/E2 sequences revealed seven monophyletic clusters signifying multiple independent HCV lineages …