The summaries are free for public
use. The Chronic Liver Disease
Foundation will continue to add and
archive summaries of articles deemed
relevant to CLDF by the Board of
Trustees and its Advisors.
Abstract Details
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection, Immunity and Susceptibility Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM), Los Angeles County, USA
Pitasi MA, Bingham TA, Sey EK, Smith AJ, Teshale EH. AIDS Behav. 2013 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print]
Author information
Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
Abstract
Men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. We used serologic data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) system to determine the prevalence and correlates of HBV infection, immunization, and susceptibility in a sample of Los Angeles County MSM. Approximately 19 % (95 % CI 15-24 %) had serologic evidence of current or past infection, while 35 % (95 % CI 30-40 %) were susceptible. Compared with the youngest age group, MSM ages 40-49 years had a lower prevalence of immunization (aPR 0.28, 95 % CI 0.17-0.45) and a higher prevalence of infection (aPR 8.53, 95 % CI 3.95-18.4) and susceptibility (aPR 2.02, 95 % CI 1.13-3.63). We also observed poor concordance between self-reported and serologic measures of vaccination. Our results indicate the possibility of missed opportunities to vaccinate MSM. Gaps in implementing existing vaccination strategies must be addressed to increase hepatitis B vaccination coverage for MSM, especially in older age groups.