High Number of Lifetime Sexual Partners, Substance Use May Be Risk Factors for HCV Infection Among MSM

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening should be considered in all men who have sex with men (MSM) regardless of HIV status, according to new data presented at CROI 2020.

To come to this conclusion, investigators for the HPTN 078 study assessed the efficacy of an integrated strategy to achieve HIV viral suppression. MSM with HIV who were not in care were recruited from Atlanta, Birmingham, Baltimore, and Boston. At baseline, HCV and HIV screening were conducted, demographic and behavioral data were collected.

HCV antibody (Ab) and RNA+ samples were tested using a modified Green Cross antibody avidity assay to identify participants with recent HCV infection.

Overall, 1041 HCV Ab- MSM and 96 HCV Ab+/HCV RNA+ MSM were tested for recent infection. Of those 96 participants, 16 had a recent infection and 12 tested positive for HIV.

The overall HCV incidence rate was 5.0 per 100 person years, with rates of 5.5 per 100 person years among MSM with HIV and 4.0 per 100 person years among MSM without HIV.

The median lifetime number of male sexual partners was 16 in HCV Ab- MSM and 100 in MSM with recent HCV infection.

“Although recent HCV infection was more common in HIV+ than in HIV-uninfected MSM, it was higher in both groups than in other studies,” the researchers wrote. “This suggests that HCV risk counseling should be considered in both HIV+ and HIV-uninfected MSM, particularly in those with a high number of lifetime sexual partners and substance use. Integrating HCV prevention into substance use counseling should be explored.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Irvin R, Malone J, Gamble T, et al; the HPTN 078 Research Team. HPTN 078: high incidence of hepatitis c virus infections among MSM. Paper presented at: Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections 2020; March 8-11, 2020; Boston, MA. http://www.croiconference.org/sessions/hptn-078-high-incidence-hepatitis-c-virus-infections-among-msm.