BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity throughout the world. Parenteral exposure to infected blood accounts for the majority of cases. Sexual transmission is suggested by the higher prevalence of infection in sex workers and homosexual men. Sexual practices which contribute to HCV infection need to be identified. METHODS: The social and medical history, and HCV serostatus of 1058 homosexual men in the Pittsburgh arm of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were analysed. Multivariate analysis was used to determine risk factors for HCV seropositivity. RESULTS: 31 men were HCV seropositive by enzyme immunoassay and recombinant immunoblot assay (2.9%). They were more likely to be HIV seropositive (39%) than the HCV seronegative men (19%). Needle sharing and illegal drug use were the most important risk factors for HCV seropositivity. Statistically significant sexual factors (p < 0.05) included a history of syphilis, rectal gonorrhea, anal insertive intercourse with ejaculation, and douche or enema use before anal receptive intercourse. The number of sexual partners was not a significant risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: HCV infection is associated with specific sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexual practices in the male homosexual population. The evidence of high risk behavior should be incorporated into ongoing educational efforts to decrease the incidence of STDs.
BACKGROUND:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity throughout the world. Parenteral exposure to infected blood accounts for the majority of cases. Sexual transmission is suggested by the higher prevalence of infection in sex workers and homosexual men. Sexual practices which contribute to HCV infection need to be identified. METHODS: The social and medical history, and HCV serostatus of 1058 homosexual men in the Pittsburgh arm of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were analysed. Multivariate analysis was used to determine risk factors for HCV seropositivity. RESULTS: 31 men were HCV seropositive by enzyme immunoassay and recombinant immunoblot assay (2.9%). They were more likely to be HIV seropositive (39%) than the HCV seronegative men (19%). Needle sharing and illegal drug use were the most important risk factors for HCV seropositivity. Statistically significant sexual factors (p < 0.05) included a history of syphilis, rectal gonorrhea, anal insertive intercourse with ejaculation, and douche or enema use before anal receptive intercourse. The number of sexual partners was not a significant risk factor. CONCLUSIONS:HCV infection is associated with specific sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexual practices in the male homosexual population. The evidence of high risk behavior should be incorporated into ongoing educational efforts to decrease the incidence of STDs.
Authors: R A Rivero; R Hedalgo-Gato; M Martinez; P Hernandez; J M Ballester; K Yamaguchi; Y Fukuyoshi; T Kiyokawa; K Takatsuki Journal: Vox Sang Date: 1992 Impact factor: 2.144
Authors: M J Alter; H S Margolis; K Krawczynski; F N Judson; A Mares; W J Alexander; P Y Hu; J K Miller; M A Gerber; R E Sampliner Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1992-12-31 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: J A Garson; J P Clewley; P Simmonds; L Q Zhang; J Mori; C Ring; E A Follett; B C Dow; S Martin; H Gunson Journal: Vox Sang Date: 1992 Impact factor: 2.144
Authors: J T Wang; T H Wang; J C Sheu; S J Tsai; Y S Hsieh; D T Lin; C Y Wang; D S Chen Journal: Arch Pathol Lab Med Date: 1993-02 Impact factor: 5.534
Authors: José Antonio Mata-Marín; Armando Abraham de Pablos-Leal; Stefan Mauss; Carla Ileana Arroyo-Anduiza; Mara Soraya Rodríguez-Evaristo; Luis Antonio Uribe-Noguéz; María de Los Ángeles Berrospe-Silva; Juan Carlos Lara-Castañeda; Edgar Pérez-Barragán; Jesús Gaytán-Martínez Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-07-15 Impact factor: 3.752
Authors: Alex Carballo-Diéguez; José Bauermeister; Ana Ventuneac; Curtis Dolezal; Kenneth Mayer Journal: Sex Transm Dis Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 2.830
Authors: Alan Neaigus; V Anna Gyarmathy; Maureen Miller; Vera Frajzyngier; Mingfang Zhao; Samuel R Friedman; Don C Des Jarlais Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2007-02-07 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: E C Seaberg; M D Witt; L P Jacobson; R Detels; C R Rinaldo; S Young; J P Phair; C L Thio Journal: J Viral Hepat Date: 2013-11-07 Impact factor: 3.728
Authors: H Rhodes Hambrick; Su Hyun Park; William C Goedel; Jace G Morganstein; Noah T Kreski; Ofole Mgbako; Dustin T Duncan Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2018-02