The changing prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among men who have sex with men who attended a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Edinburgh, Scotland between 1989 and 2003.
The aim of the study was to discover if the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) who attended a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Edinburgh, Scotland had changed in a 15-year period. This was a retrospective study of 3334 MSM attending the clinic as new patients. Forty-four men (1%) had hepatitis B surface antigenaemia. Overall, sera from 398 (12%) men gave positive results for anti-HBc. The seroprevalence of HBV in men aged 25-34 years and older men declined significantly during the study period. There was no significant change in seropositivity for anti-HBc in men aged 16-24 years. The proportion of men who had been vaccinated previously rose significantly during the most recent three-year period. Although there has been a decline in the prevalence of infection in clinic attendees, there is continued transmission of HBV in the local community.
McMillan
Alexander
A
Department of Genitourinary Medicine, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK. a.amcmm@btopenworld.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines