Should we offer routine hepatitis C antibody testing in men who have sex with men?

Aim: To evaluate hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among individuals with HIV/AIDS in Bulgaria diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Materials & methods: A total of 1158 individuals were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the study period. Different transmission groups were tested with ELISA and real-time PCR for HBV and HCV markers. Results: Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C virus antiboby were found in 9.3 and 23.2% of the tested. HBV DNA and HCV RNA has been found in 47.4 and 69.6%. Hepatitis B and C co-infections were predominant in multiple risk behavior groups, including people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, prisoners and Roma individuals. Conclusion: HIV prevalence in Bulgaria is low but the rates of hepatitis B and C co-infections among these patients fall within the upper range reported in Europe.

Download Full-text

Incidence of Hepatitis-C among HIV infected men who have sex with men (MSM) attending a sexual health service: a cohort study

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/1471-2334-11-39 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Deepa G Gamage ◽

Tim RH Read ◽

Catriona S Bradshaw ◽

Jane S Hocking ◽

Kerry Howley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Health Service ◽

Sexual Health ◽

Sexual Health Service ◽

Sex With Men

Download Full-text

HIV antibody testing among male commercial sex networkers, men who have sex with men and the lower-risk male general population in Hong Kong

AIDS Care ◽

10.1080/09540120220097937 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 55-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

J. T. F. Lau ◽

W. S. Wong

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

General Population ◽

Lower Risk ◽

Commercial Sex ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Hiv Antibody Testing

Download Full-text

Prevalence and mapping of hepatitis C infections among men who have sex with men in New York City

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0200269 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. e0200269 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Hong-Van Tieu ◽

Oliver Laeyendecker ◽

Vijay Nandi ◽

Rebecca Rose ◽

Reinaldo Fernandez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

York City ◽

Sex With Men

Download Full-text

Hepatitis C virus infection in HIV-infected men who have sex with men: sustained rising incidence in Antwerp, Belgium, 2001–2009

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/ese.15.39.19673-en ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 15 (39) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E Bottieau ◽

L Apers ◽

M Van Esbroeck ◽

M Vandenbruaene ◽

E Florence

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Acute Hepatitis C ◽

Transmitted Infection ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

Rising Incidence ◽

Sex With Men

During the last decade, outbreaks of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have been reported among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) in several European countries. To study this emerging infection in MSM in Antwerp, Belgium, we reviewed all cases of newly acquired HCV infection in HIV-positive MSM followed from 2001 to 2009 at the HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) reference clinic of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. Newly acquired HCV infection was considered as certain or probable according to local definitions. During the study period, 69 episodes of newly acquired HCV infection (40 certain and 29 probable) were diagnosed in 67 HIV-infected MSM. In only 10 episodes (14%) were the patients symptomatic. The annual incidence of HCV infection in our population of HIV-infected MSM rose steadily from 0.2% in 2001 to 1.51% in 2008, and then peaked to 2.9% in 2009. For 60 episodes (87%), another STI (mainly syphilis and lymphogranuloma venereum) had been diagnosed within the six months before the diagnosis of HCV infection. All but one patient with available genotyping (n=54) were found to be infected with the difficult-to-treat HCV genotypes 1 or 4. Our results therefore demonstrate the rising incidence of HCV infection in HIV-positive MSM in Antwerp, since 2001, which reached an alarming level in 2009. Targeted awareness campaigns and routine screening are urgently needed to limit further HCV spread and its expected long-term consequences.

Download Full-text

HAV infection in Brazilian men who have sex with men: The importance of surveillance to avoid outbreaks

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0256818 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0256818

Author(s):

Lisie Souza Castro ◽

Grazielli Rocha de Rezende ◽

Fernanda Rodas Pires Fernandes ◽

Larissa Melo Bandeira ◽

Gabriela Alves Cesar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Household Income ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Transgender Women ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Monthly Household Income ◽

Sex With Men

Background Hepatitis A is a fecal-oral infection caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) have been reported as target groups for HAV infection. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, risk factors, and circulating strains associated with HAV infection among MSM and TW in Central Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2011 to September 2013. Serum samples were collected from 425 individuals for anti-HAV antibody testing and HAV molecular characterization. Of them, 149 (35.1%) participants were self-identified as transgender women. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors of HAV seropositivity. Results The seroprevalence of HAV exposure was 69.7% (95% Confidence Interval: 65.3–74.0%). Serological evidence of HAV was significantly higher in participants who self-identified as transgender women (83.2%) than MSM (62.3%). Increasing age, non-white race, and lower monthly household income were independently associated with HAV exposure among MSM. Only lower monthly household income was independently associated with HAV exposure among TW. One anti-HAV IgM positive sample, from a transgender woman (0.2%), was detected and classified as subgenotype IA. Conclusions High HAV prevalence was observed, markedly among TW. Considering the risky sexual behaviors this population is exposed to, HAV vaccination and prevention programs targeting this population should be considered to prevent outbreaks and the burden of the disease.

Download Full-text

Acute hepatitis C infection in HIV positive men who have sex with men in Paris, France, 2001-2004

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/esm.10.05.00535-en ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 3-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 102

Author(s):

L Gambotti ◽

Collective Acute hepatitis C collaborating group

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C ◽

Hiv Infection ◽

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Sexual Behaviour ◽

Unprotected Sex ◽

Acute Hepatitis C ◽

Anal Sex ◽

Hcv Transmission ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Hospital Wards

In mid-2004, three Parisian hospital wards informed the Institut de veille sanitaire of recent acute hepatitis C in HIV-infected (HIV+) men who had sex with men (MSM). These cases for whom none of the usual bloodborne routes for hepatitis C (HCV) transmission was found, reported having had unprotected sex. In October 2004, we conducted a retrospective investigation in Parisian hospital wards to explore HCV modes of transmission in recent acute hepatitis C in HIV+ MSM. Patient demographics, clinical and biological status of HIV infection, reasons for HCV testing, sexual behaviour and risk factors for HCV transmission within the 6 months before hepatitis onset were collected from medical records. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire on sexual behaviour within the six months before hepatitis onset was also offered to all cases. We identified 29 cases of acute hepatitis C in HIV+ MSM with onset from April 2001 to October 2004. HIV infection was asymptomatic for 76%. Median age at hepatitis C onset was 40 (28-54) years. In all records, were noted unprotected anal sex, fisting in 21% and a concomitant sexually transmitted infection (STI) in 41%. Median time between HIV diagnosis and HCV infection was 6.5 years (0-22). From the 11 self-administered questionnaires completed, 10 reported an STI, 8 “hard” sexual practices, 6 bleeding during sex and 5 fisting. HCV transmission probably occurred through bleeding during unprotected traumatic anal sex among HIV+ MSM and may be facilitated by STI mucosal lesions. This report stresses the continuous need to strongly advocate safer sex to MSM.

Download Full-text