Jason Wong1, David Moore2, Steve Kanters3, Jane Buxton1, Wayne Robert4, Reka Gustafson5, Robert Hogg6, Susanna Ogunnaike-Cooke7, Tom Wong8, Mark Gilbert9. 1. BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 2. BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 3. School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 4. Health Initiative for Men, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 5. Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 6. BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. 7. Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 8. Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 9. BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vancouver, Canada, and associations of risk behaviours with HCV serostatus. METHODS: We used data from the ManCount Study, a cross-sectional survey of MSM selected through a venue-based, time-location sampling method. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression modelling were used to determine correlates of HCV seropositivity. Bivariate analyses of participants who reported no history of injection drug use (IDU) were used to explore sexual behaviours associated with HCV seropositivity. RESULTS: HCV seroprevalence was 4.9% (56/1132). Among HCV-seropositive participants who responded to the question, 22.4% (11/49) were unaware of their HCV-seropositive status, 84.9% (45/53) reported a history of IDU and 60.7% (34/56) were HIV positive by dried blood spot. Multivariate modelling found previous IDU (adjusted OR (AOR): 26.30, 95% CI 11.15 to 62.03), receiving goods, drugs or money for sex (AOR 4.98, 95% CI 2.43 to 10.20) and current smoking (AOR 3.46, 95% CI 1.47 to 8.16) were associated with HCV seropositivity. Among MSM who reported no history of IDU, HCV seropositivity was associated with bleeding after receptive anal sex (p=0.001) and a previous diagnosis of gonorrhoea (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: HCV seroprevalence among a sample of MSM is higher than the general population and associated with a history of IDU. Among those who did not report IDU, we found evidence that suggests sexual exposure could be the route of transmission. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vancouver, Canada, and associations of risk behaviours with HCV serostatus. METHODS: We used data from the ManCount Study, a cross-sectional survey of MSM selected through a venue-based, time-location sampling method. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression modelling were used to determine correlates of HCV seropositivity. Bivariate analyses of participants who reported no history of injection drug use (IDU) were used to explore sexual behaviours associated with HCV seropositivity. RESULTS:HCV seroprevalence was 4.9% (56/1132). Among HCV-seropositive participants who responded to the question, 22.4% (11/49) were unaware of their HCV-seropositive status, 84.9% (45/53) reported a history of IDU and 60.7% (34/56) were HIV positive by dried blood spot. Multivariate modelling found previous IDU (adjusted OR (AOR): 26.30, 95% CI 11.15 to 62.03), receiving goods, drugs or money for sex (AOR 4.98, 95% CI 2.43 to 10.20) and current smoking (AOR 3.46, 95% CI 1.47 to 8.16) were associated with HCV seropositivity. Among MSM who reported no history of IDU, HCV seropositivity was associated with bleeding after receptive anal sex (p=0.001) and a previous diagnosis of gonorrhoea (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS:HCV seroprevalence among a sample of MSM is higher than the general population and associated with a history of IDU. Among those who did not report IDU, we found evidence that suggests sexual exposure could be the route of transmission. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
Authors: Mark Hull; Stephen Shafran; Alex Wong; Alice Tseng; Pierre Giguère; Lisa Barrett; Shariq Haider; Brian Conway; Marina Klein; Curtis Cooper Journal: Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol Date: 2016-07-04 Impact factor: 2.471