Annual hepatitis C testing and positive tests among gay and bisexual men in Australia from 2016 to 2022: a serial cross-sectional analysis of sentinel surveillance data.
Sex Transm Infect
; 100(5): 295-301, 2024 Jul 26.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38902028
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Guidelines recommend annual hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for gay and bisexual men (GBM) with HIV and GBM prescribed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, there is a limited understanding of HCV testing among GBM. We aimed to examine trends in HCV testing and positivity from 2016 to 2022.METHODS:
Using sentinel surveillance data, we examined the proportion of GBM with at least one test and the proportion with a positive test in each year for HCV antibody testing among GBM with no previous HCV positive test, HCV RNA testing among GBM with a positive antibody test but no previous positive RNA test (naïve RNA testing), and HCV RNA testing among people who had a previous RNA positive test and a subsequent negative test (RNA follow-up testing). Trends were examined using logistic regression from 2016 to 2019 and 2020 to 2022.RESULTS:
Among GBM with HIV, from 2016 to 2019 antibody testing was stable averaging 55% tested annually. Declines were observed for both naïve HCV RNA testing (75.4%-41.4% p<0.001) and follow-up HCV RNA testing (70.1%-44.5% p<0.001). Test positivity declined for HCV antibody tests (2.0%-1.3% p=0.001), HCV RNA naïve tests (75.4%-41.4% p<0.001) and HCV RNA follow-up tests (11.3%-3.3% p=0.001). There were minimal or no significant trends from 2020 to 2022.Among GBM prescribed PrEP, antibody testing declined from 2016 to 2019 (79.4%-69.4% p<0.001) and was stable from 2020 to 2022. Naïve and follow-up HCV RNA testing was stable with an average of 55% and 60% tested each year, respectively. From 2016-2019, the proportion positive from HCV RNA naïve tests declined (44.1%-27.5% p<0.046) with no significant change thereafter. Positive follow-up HCV RNA tests fluctuated with no or one new positive test among this group in most years.CONCLUSION:
The proportion of GBM with positive HCV tests has declined, however a substantial proportion are not tested annually. A renewed focus on HCV testing, and treatment where required, is warranted to achieve HCV elimination among GBM in Australia.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infecciones por VIH
/
Hepatitis C
/
Vigilancia de Guardia
/
Homosexualidad Masculina
Límite:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Sex Transm Infect
Asunto de la revista:
DOENCAS SEXUALMENTE TRANSMISSIVEIS
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia