BHIVA: No evidence of a hepatitis C epidemic in HIV negative gay men

Data from attendees at a London GUM clinic presented at the 14^th BHIVA Conference on Friday suggest that there is no increase in hepatitis C infections amongst HIV negative gay men. The study found that the likelihood of being newly diagnosed with hepatitis C was not significantly greater in gay men than it was in heterosexual men, and hepatitis C infection was much more strongly associated with having HIV than it was with sexual orientation.

Dr Jo Turner told the conference that the University College Hospital (UCH) Centre for Sexual Health, wishing to establish if the apparent rise in hepatitis C infections in positive gay men was matched by a similar rise in HIV negative men, had decided to offer hepatitis C tests to all men attending the GUM clinic for STI checkups between March 2007 and March 2008.

Over the year 10,204 men attended the GUM clinic and 4,554 (44%) accepted the offer of a hepatitis C test. Dr Turner was reporting on 4,472 valid results. The men who accepted the offer of a hepatitis C test were more likely to be gay (58% of those accepting a test, 48% of those turning one down), less likely to be African or Caribbean (8.7% of those accepting, 13.3% of those not accepting) and more likely to be injecting drug users (2.4% of those accepting, 1.0% of those refusing).  BHIVA: No evidence of a hepatitis C epidemic in HIV negative gay men
Aidsmap, UK