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EMIS 2017 Journal Articles 2017 Published Articles

Still trouble with bleeding: Risk factors for HCV transmission in men who have sex with men and behavioural trajectories from 2019 to 2021

HIV Medicine 2024; (doi: 10.1111/hiv.13657)

Authors: Axel Jeremias Schmidt, Peter Weatherburn, Haoyi Wang, Thomas Lutz, Knud Schewe, Stefan Mauss, Ivanka Krznaric, Axel Baumgarten, Christoph Boesecke, Jürgen K. Rockstroh, Stefan Christensen, Patrick Ingiliz

Abstract

Objectives

To identify sexual/sex-associated risk factors for hepatitis C transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) and visualise behavioural trajectories from 2019 to 2021.

Methods

We linked a behavioural survey to a hepatitis C cohort study (NoCo), established in 2019 across six German HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment centres, and performed a case–control analysis. Cases were MSM with recent HCV infection, and controls were matched for HIV status (model 1) or proportions of sexual partners with HIV (model 2). We conducted conditional univariable and multivariable regression analyses.

Results

In all, 197 cases and 314 controls completed the baseline questionnaire and could be matched with clinical data. For regression models, we restricted cases to those with HCV diagnosed since 2018 (N = 100). Factors independently associated with case status included sex-associated rectal bleeding, shared fisting lubricant, anal douching, chemsex, intravenous and intracavernosal injections, with population-attributable fractions of 88% (model 1) and 85% (model 2). These factors remained stable over time among cases, while sexual partner numbers and group sex decreased during COVID-19 measures.

Conclusions

Sexual/sex-associated practices leading to blood exposure are key factors in HCV transmission in MSM. Public health interventions should emphasize the importance of blood safety in sexual encounters. Micro-elimination efforts were temporarily aided by reduced opportunities for sexual encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: The questionnaire underlying this case-control study based many questions on EMIS-2010 and EMIS-2017.

Available online

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EMIS 2010 Published Articles

Published articles 2010

Journal articles

John Pachankis, Mark Hatzenbuehler, Ford Hickson, Rigmor C. Berg, Peter Weatherburn, Ulrich Marcus, Axel J. Schmidt (2015): Hidden from health: structural stigma, sexual orientation concealment, and HIV across 38 countries in the European MSM Internet Survey. AIDS 29(10): 1239-1246

Rigmor C. Berg, Peter Weatherburn, Michael W. Ross, Axel J. Schmidt, The EMIS Network (2015): The relationship of internalised homonegativity to sexual healthand well-being among MSM in 38 European countries. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health (published online 20 Apr 2015).

Ulrich Marcus, Ford Hickson, Peter Weatherburn, Martina Furegato, Michele Breveglieri, Rigmor C Berg, Axel J. Schmidt (2015): Antiretroviral Therapy and Reasons for Not Taking It among Men Having Sex with Men (MSM)—Results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS). PLoS ONE 10(3): e0121047. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0121047 [in English]

Rigmor C. Berg, Axel J. Schmidt, Peter Weatherburn, The EMIS Network (2014): Transactional sex: Supply and demand among European men who have sex with men (MSM) in the context of local laws. International Journal of Sexual Health. Published online ahead of print 1 Dec 2014 (doi:10.1080/19317611.2014.982263) [in English]

Percy Fernández-Dávila, Cinta Folcha, Laia Ferrera, Raúl Sorianog, Mercedes Diezd, Jordi Casabona (2014). Hepatitis C virus infection and its relationship to certain sexual practices in men-who-have-sex-with-men in Spain: Results from the European MSM internet survey (EMIS). Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica; Available online first on 30 October 2014 [in English] (EMIS partners can access this article by logging-in).

Cinta Folch; Percy Fernández-Dávila; Laia Ferrera; Raúl Soriano; Mercedes Díez; Jordi Casabona (2014). Conductas sexuales de alto riesgo en hombres que tienen relacionessexuales con hombres según tipo de pareja sexual. Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica, Volume 32, Issue 6, June-July 2014, Pages 341-349, ISSN 0213-005X [in Spanish]

Todd Sekuler, Michael Bochow, Ursula von Rüden, Jürgen Töppich (2014). Are bisexually active men a ‘bridge’ for HIV transmission to the ‘general population’ in Germany? Data from the European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey (EMIS). Culture, Health & Sexuality: An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care. Published online ahead of print 14 July 2014 (doi: 10.1080/13691058.2014.932923) [in English].

Gabriele Prati, Michele Breveglieri, Raffaele Lelleri, Martina Furegato, Lorenzo Gios, Luca Pietrantoni (2013). Psychosocial correlates of HIV testing among men who have sex with men in Italy: a cross-sectional study. Int J STD AIDS, 25: 496-503 [in English].

Adam Bourne; Ford Hickson; David Reid; Gary Hammond; Axel J. Schmidt; Peter Weatherburn; The EMIS Network (2013). What constitutes the best sex for gay men and bisexual men? Implications for HIV prevention. BMC Public Health, 13:1083. [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Axel J. Schmidt & Ulrich Marcus (2013). Defizite in den Angeboten zur STI-Diagnostik für Männer mit gleichgeschlechtlichen Sexualkontakten in deutschsprachigen Städten. Bundesgesundheitsblatt 56: 1609-1618. [in German]

Wim vanden Berghe; Christiana Nöstlinger, Harm Hospers; Marie Laga (2013). International mobility, sexual behaviour and HIV-related characteristics of men who have sex with men residing in Belgium. BMC Public Health, 13:968. [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Ulrich Marcus; Ford Hickson; Peter Weatherburn; Axel J. Schmidt; The EMIS Network (2013). Estimating the size of the MSM populations for 38 European countries by calculating the survey-surveillance discrepancies (SSD) between self-reported new HIV diagnoses from the European MSM internet survey (EMIS) and surveillance-reported HIV diagnoses among MSM in 2009. BMC Public Health, 13:919. [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Ulrich Marcus; Ford Hickson; Peter Weatherburn; Axel J. Schmidt; The EMIS Network (2013). Age biases in a large HIV and sexual behaviour-related internet survey among MSM. BMC Public Health, 13:826. [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

C Carvalho; R Fuertes; R Lucas; A Martins; M J Campos; L Mendão; A J Schmidt and H Barros (2013). HIV testing among Portuguese men who have sex with men – results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS): HIV Medicine,14 (Suppl. 3): 15-18 [in English].

Percy Fernández-Dávila; Cinta Folch; Laia Ferrer; Raúl Soriano; Mercedes Diez and Jordi Casabona (2013). Who are the men who have sex with men in Spain that have never been tested for HIV? HIV Medicine,14 (Suppl. 3): 44–48. [in English].

Axel J. Schmidt; Ford Hickson; Peter Weatherburn; Ulrich Marcus, The EMIS Network (2013). Comparison of the performance of STI Screening Services for gay and bisexual men across 40 European cities: results from the European MSM Internet Survey. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 89(7):575-582. [in English]

Peter Weatherburn; Axel J. Schmidt; Ford Hickson; David Reid; Rigmor C. Berg; Harm J. Hospers; Ulrich Marcus; The EMIS Network (2013). The European Men-who-have-sex-with-men Internet Survey (EMIS): design and methods. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Volume 10, Issue 4, 243-257, [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Rigmor C. Berg (2013). Predictors of never testing for HIV among a national online sample of men who have sex with men in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 41 (4): 398-404. [in English]

Michael W. Ross; Rigmor C. Berg; Axel J. Schmidt; Harm J. Hospers; Michele Breveglieri; Martina Furegato; Peter Weatherburn; The EMIS Network (2013). Internalised homonegativity predicts HIV-associated risk behavior in European men who have sex with men in a 38-country cross-sectional study: some public health implications of homophobia. BMJ Open 3:e001928. (doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001928). [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Rigmor C. Berg; Michael W. Ross; Peter Weatherburn; Axel J. Schmidt (2013). Structural and environmental factors are associated with internalised homonegativity in men who have sex with men: Findings from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS) in 38 countries. Social Science & Medicine, Volume 78, Pages 61–69. [in English]

Rigmor C. Berg (2012). High rates of unprotected sex and serosorting among men who have sex with men: A national online study in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 40(8): 738-745. [in English]

Ulrich Marcus; Ford Hickson; Peter Weatherburn; Axel J. Schmidt; The EMIS Network (2012). Prevalence of HIV among MSM in Europe: comparison of self-reported diagnoses from a large scale internet survey and existing national estimates. BMC Public Health, 12: 978. [OPEN ACCESS – in English].

Rolf Rosenbrock; Axel J. Schmidt (2012). AIDS. New challenges for social & medical prevention. Bundesgesundheitsblatt, 55: 535-542. [in German]

Ales Lamut (2011). Ideas of the best sex life among Slovene MSM. Etnolog, 21: 77-100. [in Slovenian]