Treatment for HIV and Hep C

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There is treatment for HIV and for Hep C. The treatments are different in many ways:

	HIV	Hep C
What is treatment and how long does it last?	HIV treatment means taking a combination of anti-HIV drugs—usually at least three—every day. Treatment is usually taken once or twice a day and some drugs are combined into one pill so that there are fewer pills to take. Once it is started, HIV treatment is life-long.	For people who are co-infected, treatment is with peg-interferon and ribavirin. Treatment generally lasts one year.
What is the main goal of treatment?	The goal of HIV treatment is to lower the HIV viral load to an undetectable level and keep it there.	The goal of Hep C treatment is to clear the virus from the body.
Do I have to go on treatment?	Almost everyone with HIV needs to start HIV treatment eventually.	Treatment is especially important for people who are co-infected because liver damage can happen more quickly.

You and your doctor or nurse will decide on how to best treat the two viruses.

For more information about treatment for HIV and Hep C, including things to think about before starting and during treatment, see Living with HIV and Hepatitis C Co-infection on www.catie.ca.

Revised 2012.

Treatment