13th Annual Conference of the British HIV Association 29 March–1 April 2007, Brighton, UK

EVIDENCE OF INCREASE IN RECENTLY ACQUIRED HEPATITIS C IN HIV-POSITIVE MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN ACROSS LONDON 2002–2006

HIV Med 2007; 8(Suppl. 1):2 (abstract no. O7)

Murad Ruf¹, Isabelle Giraudon¹, Helen Maguire¹, André Charlett² and Fortune Ncube^2
1Health Protection Agency, Regional Epidemiology Unit, London, UK, ²Health Protection Agency, Centre for Infections, London, UK

OBJECTIVE: Recent clinic-based reports from the UK and other European countries have described hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection in HIV-positive MSM. The objective of this study was to ascertain the burden and spatial extent of diagnosed recently acquired HCV (DRHCV) in MSM in London in order to inform public health interventions.

METHODS: Questionnaire-based survey of HIV/Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics to ascertain DRHCV in MSM attendees 2002 to June 2006. Case definition: MSM with positive HCV PCR-RNA or antibody and a negative HCV test in the previous 3 years. HPA Survey of HIV Infections Diagnosed (SOPHID) data was used as denominator. Incidence trends were estimated using a negative binomial regression model.

RESULTS: Thirteen London HIV centres responded covering 85% of the MSM attending HIV care in London. A total of 352 cases arising from 39,306 person years were reported, giving an overall incidence of 9.0/1000 person years (range between clinics: 0–15.4). By 2006 all clinics reported routine screening for HCV, but only five clinics reported routine screening over the entire period. The estimated annual increase in incidence in DRHCV from the regression model was 20% (95% CI 2% to 41%, P=0.03). There was no evidence that this was affected by routine HCV screening. Very little information was available for HIV-MSM as most GUM clinics were not routinely screening MSM for HCV.

CONCLUSION: This study provides some evidence of increasing incidence in DRHCV in HIV-positive MSM attending HIV centres across London since 2002. Yet there still are many gaps in our understanding, especially related to the burden of disease in HIV-MSM. Close collaboration between clinicians and public health specialists will be key to inform public health interventions and potentially required surveillance.

2007-03-29
O7

Copyright © 2007 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD