title: Do rates of unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-positive MSM present a risk for hepatitis C transmission?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the rates of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in HIV-seropositive sexual relationships with that among men in HIV-seronegative and serodiscordant relationships in the context of an emerging hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic among HIV-positive MSM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Time-location sampling was used to obtain a cross-sectional sample of MSM who attended public venues in San Francisco between November 2007 and October 2008 (N = 1199). Behavioural measures of sexual risk-taking at the level of the sexual dyad were administered to the sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men in HIV-positive/positive sexual relationships are significantly more likely to have UAI and combine sex and drugs than men in negative/negative sexual relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If it is possible to spread HCV infection between HIV-positive men via UAI, very high levels of behavioural risk among positive MSM should exist to facilitate HCV transmission. Identifying the precise behavioural risk factors for HCV among HIV-positive MSM has become an important public health priority.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. rstall@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stall
authors.forename: Chongyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: H Fisher
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012747:Sexual Partners; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult