title: Hepatitis B and Delta virus infection among heterosexuals, homosexuals and bisexual men.
abstract: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) infection rates were estimated in patients attending a venereal disease outpatient clinic: 759 heterosexuals and 154 homosexual-bisexual men. The anti-HBc prevalence was higher in homo-bisexual men (68.8 per 100) than in heterosexuals (41.8 per 100), whereas HBsAg was roughly the same in the two groups (about 6 per 100). The anti-HBc prevalence rate among heterosexuals was higher than that estimated in hospital personnel from the same geographical area. A positive association between anti-HBc prevalence and present or past sexually transmitted diseases (STD) was found among homo-bisexual men. Anti-HBc was also positively associated with herpes simplex type 2 antibodies in both heterosexuals and homo-bisexual men. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that sexual behavior also plays a role in the spread of infection among heterosexuals. Ten of the 46 HBsAg-positive subjects were anti-HDV positive: 6 of the 36 heterosexuals and 4 of the 10 homosexuals. All HDV-positive subjects had present or past STDs. These findings suggest sexual transmission of HDV infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Epidemiologia e Biostatistica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caprilli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentili
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stazi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaratti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Capitanio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crescimbeni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panà
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001727:Bisexuality; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens