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Table 1 Hepatitis C prevalence, socio-demographic, behavioural, and sexual health related sample characteristics, stratified by HIV diagnosis, in a sample of men who have sex with men from Zurich

From: Prevalence of hepatitis C in a Swiss sample of men who have sex with men: whom to screen for HCV infection?

Characteristic

Total

No known HIV infection

HIV diagnosed

n = 840

n = 821

n = 19

Hepatitis C prevalence

%

(95%-CI)

n

%

(95%-CI)

n

%

(95%-CI)

n

 Antibody*

0.8

(0.4-1.7)

7

0.4

(0.12-1.1)

3

21.1

(8.5-43.3)

4

 Antigen*

0.2

(0.1-0.9)

2

0.1

(0.02-0.7)

1

5.3

(0.9-24.6)

1

Age

Years

Years

Years

 Range

17-79

17-79

19-59

 25%-, 50%-, 75%-quartiles

26, 33, 41

26, 33, 41

33, 38, 47

Country of origin

%

(95%-CI 1 )

n

%

(95%-CI)

n

%

(95%-CI)

n

 By nationality

         

 Swiss

70.4

(67.2-73.3)

591

70.6

(67.4-73.6)

580

57.9

(36.3-76.9)

11

 Non-Swiss

21.2

(18.6-24.1)

178

21.0

(18.3-23.9)

172

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

 Unknown

8.5

(6.8-10.5)

71

8.4

(6.7-10.5)

69

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

 By national HCV prevalence2

   

 < 1.5%

3.5

(2.4-4.9)

29

3.3

(2.3-4.7)

27

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

 1.5-3.5% (incl. Switzerland)

87.0

(84.6-89.1)

731

87.3

(84.9-89.4)

717

73.7

(51.2-88.2)

14

 > 3.5%

1.1

(0.6-2.0)

9

1.0

(0.5-1.9)

8

5.3

(0.9-24.6)

1

 Unknown

8.5

(6.8-10.5)

71

8.4

(6.7-10.5)

69

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

Blood exposures

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Blood transfusion before 1985

1.3

(0.7-2.4)

11

1.4

(0.8-2.4)

11

0.0

(0.0-16.8)

0

Piercing

24.7

(21.8-27.8)

198

24.5

(21.6-27.7)

192

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

 Performed abroad

6.1

(4.6-7.9)

51

6.0

(4.5-7.8)

49

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

Genital piercing

2.8

(1.8-4.2)

22

2.7

(1.8-4.1)

21

6.2

(1.1-28.3)

1

Tattoo

19.9

(17.2-23.0)

145

19.6

(16.8-22.7)

139

35.3

(17.3-58.7)

6

 Performed abroad

7.9

(6.2-9.9)

66

7.7

(6.0-9.7)

63

15.8

(5.5-37.6)

3

Current drug use

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

 IDU3

3.3

(2.2-5.0)

22

3.1

(2.0-4.7)

20

13.3

(3.7-37.9)

2

 NIDU of cocaine / amph.4*

13.6

(11.3-16.3)

99

12.8

(10.6-15.5)

91

47.0

(26.2-69.0)

8

 Ecstasy*

12.2

(10.0-14.8)

87

11.8

(9.6-14.4)

82

31.3

(14.2-55.6)

5

 Cannabis*

20.4

(17.6-23.4)

151

19.8

(17.1-22.9)

144

46.7

(24.8-69.9)

7

 Any of the above*

50.0

(46.6-53.4)

412

48.9

(45.5-52.4)

394

94.7

(75.4-99.1)

18

(Continued)

Total

No known HIV infection

HIV diagnosed

n = 840

n = 821

n = 19

Sexual partners last year

Number

Number

Number

 Range

0-500

0-500

0-200

 25%-, 50%-, 75%-quartiles

4, 6, 15

4, 6, 12

10, 20, 50

 

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

 More than 10 sexual partners*

30.1

(27.1-33.3)

250

29.2

(26.2-32.4)

237

68.4

(46.0-84.6)

13

UAI 5 partners last year

Number

Number

Number

 Range

0-200

0-60

0-200

 25%-, 50%-, 75%-quartiles

0, 1, 1

0, 1, 1

0, 1, 6

 

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

More than 10 UAI partners*

1.1

(0.6-2.0)

9

0.6

(0.3-1.4)

5

21.1

(8.5-43.3)

4

UAI episodes last year

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

 With steady partner*

48.5

(45.1-52.0)

384

49.1

(45.6-52.6)

380

23.5

(9.6-47.2)

4

 With known casual partners

25.1

(22.2-28.2)

201

24.9

(22.0-28.1)

195

33.3

(16.3-56.3)

6

 With anonymous partners*

11.8

(9.7-14.3)

92

11.3

(9.3-13.8)

86

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

“Hard” sexual practices* 6

         

 Any that might lead to bleeding

12.1

(10.1-14.5)

102

11.7

(9.7-14.1)

96

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

 Fisting, receptive*

4.0

(2.9-5.6)

34

3.8

(2.7-5.3)

31

15.8

(5.5-37.6)

3

 Dildo usage, receptive

6.9

(5.4-8.8)

58

6.7

(5.2-8.6)

55

15.8

(5.5-37.6)

3

 Anal dilatation, receptive

2.3

(1.5-3.5)

19

2.1

(1.3-3.3)

17

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

 Enema, receptive

1.2

(0.6-2.2)

10

1.1

(0.6-2.1)

9

5.3

(0.9-24.7)

1

 Catheterisation, receptive

1.2

(0.6-2.2)

10

1.2

(0.6-2.2)

10

0.0

(0.0-16.8)

0

 With steady partner

6.9

(5.3-8.8)

57

6.7

(5.2-8.6)

54

15.8

(5.5-37.6)

3

 With known casual partners

11.3

(9.3-13.6)

94

10.9

(8.9-13.2)

89

26.3

(11.8-48.8)

5

 With anonymous partners*

5.9

(4.5-7.7)

49

5.5

(4.2-7.3)

45

21.1

(8.5-43.3)

4

 At home

12.6

(10.6-15.1)

105

12.3

(10.2-14.7)

100

26.4

(11.9-48.9)

5

 At private sex parties*

4.6

(3.4-6.3)

38

4.2

(3.0-5.8)

34

21.1

(8.5-43.4)

4

 In sex clubs*

6.9

(5.4-8.8)

57

6.3

(4.8-8.2)

51

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

 In cruising areas*

3.4

(2.4-4.9)

28

3.1

(2.1-4.5)

25

15.8

(5.5-37.6)

3

Group sex7*

5.4

(4.0-7.1)

45

4.9

(3.6-6.6)

40

26.3

(11.8-48.8)

5

Lifetime history of STIs 8

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Valid%

(95%-CI)

n

Urethral gonorrhea*

20.2

(17.6-23.1)

168

19.6

(17.0-22.5)

159

47.4

(27.4-68.3)

9

Rectal gonorrhea

1.7

(1.0-2.8)

14

1.6

(0.9-2.7)

13

5.3

(0.9-24.7)

1

Pharyngeal gonorrhea

1.5

(0.9-2.6)

13

1.6

(0.9-2.7)

13

0.0

(0.0-16.8)

0

Chlamydial infection*

10.9

(9.0-13.2)

91

10.5

(8.6-12.8)

85

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

Syphilis*

8.1

(6.4-10.1)

68

7.1

(5.5-9.1)

58

52.6

(31.7-72.6)

10

Hepatitis A

2.2

(1.4-3.4)

18

2.0

(1.2-3.2)

16

10.5

(2.9-31.4)

2

Hepatitis B*

2.3

(1.5-3.5)

19

1.8

(1.1-3.0)

15

21.1

(8.5-43.4)

4

Genital herpes

2.5

(1.6-3.8)

21

2.4

(1.6-3.7)

20

5.3

(0.9-24.7)

1

Genital or anal warts*

7.8

(6.2-9.8)

65

7.2

(5.6-9.2)

59

31.6

(15.4-54.0)

6

Lesion-prone STIs9 *

18.2

(15.8-21.0)

153

17.2

(14.7-19.9)

141

63.2

(41.1-80.9)

12

  1. *Fisher’s exact test <0.05; 1CI: confidence interval; 2National HCV prevalence according to Modh Hanafiah et al. 2012 [36]; 3IDU: injection drug use; 4NIDU of cocaine/amph.: non-injection drug use of cocaine or amphetamines; 5UAI: unprotected anal intercourse; 6“Hard” sexual practices that may lead to bleeding; 7group sex: defined as reporting 10 or more sexual partners in the past 12 months and engaging in “hard” practices (see above) in sex clubs or at private sex parties; 8STIs: sexually transmitted infections; 9Lesion-prone STIs: syphilis, rectal gonorrhoea, or chlamydial infection.
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