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Incidence of hepatitis C in HIV positive and negative men who have sex with men 2000–2016: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Background

There is a need for systematic reviews and meta-analyses to synthesize the epidemiology, and the riskfactors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) among HIV-coinfected and HIV negative men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods

A meta-analysis of 28 studies was carried out by pooling HCV incidence data of HIV-coinfected and HIV negative MSM. Differences in incidence outcome depending on the prospective or retrospective nature of the individual studies were investigated.

Results

The pooled incidence of HCV in MSM was 6.3 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 5.0–7.5). The overall estimated incidence was 19-fold higher in HIV positive compared to HIV negative MSM living in resource-rich countries. This result was confirmed when the analysis was restricted to high-quality studies. Factors associated with an increased risk for incident HCV included behavioural factors (sexual risk behaviour and recreational drug use) as well as biological characteristics (HIV coinfection and a recent history of syphilis).

Conclusion

In conclusion, incident HCV predominantly affects HIV positive MSM. The incidence rate varied largely between studies, factors such as study design might play an important role.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Damian Cueni for language editing and Dr. Martina Gosteli for her support in the literature search.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

      Virginia Ghisla, Alexandra U. Scherrer, Dominique L. Braun & Jan S. Fehr

    2. Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

      Dunja Nicca

    3. Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

      Alexandra U. Scherrer & Dominique L. Braun

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    1. Virginia Ghisla
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    Correspondence to Dominique L. Braun.

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    Conflict of interest

    JSF was a member of the advisory board of Abbvie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dome and has received unrestricted Grants and travel Grants from AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dome, Pfizer, Roche, ViiV Healthcare. He is a member of the Swiss Federal Commission for Sexual Health. DLB was supported by the University of Zurich’s Clinical research Priority Program (CRPP) “Viral infectious diseases: Zurich Primary HIV Infection Study”. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. All authors declared no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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    V. Ghisla and A. U. Scherrer contributed equally to this study, as did D. L. Braun and J. S. Fehr.

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    Ghisla, V., Scherrer, A.U., Nicca, D. et al. Incidence of hepatitis C in HIV positive and negative men who have sex with men 2000–2016: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Infection 45, 309–321 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-016-0975-y

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-016-0975-y

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