Background: Interferon producing cells have an important role in controlling HIV. The interferon producing cell count was evaluated in order to study the possibility of immune modulating qualification of HGV co-infection in HIV patients’ safety.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 83 HIV positive patients with CD4+ cell count >400 to evaluate the interferon producing cell count. These 83 patients were categorized in 4 groups based on their current infection status. Patients infected with HCV and HGV (HGV+/HCV+), patients infected with HGV but not with HCV (HGV-C+/HCV-), patients infected with HCV but not with HGV (HGV-/HCV+) and patients not infected by HGV and HCV (HGV-/HCV-). Interferon producing cell analysis was performed by flow cytometric method and the presence of -HGV RNA by using RT-PCR and PCR-Elisa.

Results: Interferon producing cell count in HGV co-infected individuals revealed a wider range of numbers however there was no significant difference in the interferon producing cells count between HIV infected patients with and without HGV co-infection.

Conclusion: HGV/HCV co-infection doesn't have an effective role on increasing of production or rotation of interferon producing cell in HIV infected patients with relatively intact immune system.