STIs in MSM - long and the short of it
This paper examines the male and female syphilis notification rates in high-income countries from 2000 to 2013. The male to female ratio and proportion of cases reported as being in men who have sex with men is calculated. This paper shows that in countries with high income, there is a near universal finding of increasing rates of syphilis in MSM. It is therefore clear that no country has identified an effective method to control syphilis in this population.
This study is the latest comprehensive literature review of HIV incidence of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mainland China. The pooled HIV incidence of Chinese MSM is 5.61/100 person years (PY), and it showed a significantly increasing trend with the change of time (3.24/100PY in 2005–2008, 5.29/100PY in 2009–2011, 5.50/100PY in 2012–2014), which reflects the severe situation of HIV incidence of Chinese MSM. HIV prevention strategies targeted at MSM should be urgently strengthened. Innovative and comprehensive intervention strategies should also be adopted, in particular for young, less educated and syphilis infected MSM subgroups.
A systematic review on hepatitis C virus transmission in gay and bisexual men shows substantially higher HCV prevalence in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative men, and injecting drug use remains the major risk factors. Of longitudinal studies, the pooled incidence remains very low in HIV-negative men. Since the early 2000s, cases-series reports increasingly point to the importance of sexual transmission of HCV in mainly HIV-positive men.
In Los Angeles, Black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) have the highest rate of HIV infection, and Black MSM in LA are four times more likely than white MSM to not know they are infected with HIV. In our study, we found that it was feasible to use Grindr™, a social networking mobile phone app, to distribute HIV self-test kits, and that Grindr™ users are willing to provide personal information in exchange for HIV tests. Grindr™ users also found self-tests acceptable and easy to use. We found that social networking apps has a high potential to reach untested high-risk populations
Travel shapes the social and sexual networks and, consequently, the HIV and sexually transmissible infection (STI) acquisition risks of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Four factors associated with travel that could potentiate HIV transmission are different patterns of sexual risk behaviours during travel; the growth of online tools to meet sex partners more efficiently; the global heterogeneity of HIV strains; and the potential for diassortative mixing of men from high- and low-HIV prevalence areas. Addressing these shifting risk contexts from increased connectedness through travel and online social networking platforms requires innovation in HIV and STI prevention and treatment interventions for gay men and other MSM, and mobile applications and social networking platforms that can provide HIV-related resources and information tailored to the local risk environment and to the individual may have valuable potential.
This article describes the adaptation of a behavioural surveillance system, the Gay Community Periodic Surveys, to the introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment as prevention. National trends in key indicators during 2000–15 are reviewed, showing increases in HIV testing, treatment and condomless sex with casual partners. Two scenarios anticipating the effect of PrEP highlight the need to target gay and bisexual men who engage in receptive condomless sex while also sustaining condom use at a population level.
A literature review was performed to inform the 2014 update of the Australian testing guidelines for asymptomatic men who have sex with men (MSM). Key changes include a recommendation for pharyngeal chlamydia testing, use of nucleic acid amplification tests alone for gonorrhoea testing, more frequent gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing in HIV-positive MSM, shorter time required since last void for chlamydia first-void urine collection, and the use of electronic reminders to increase STI and HIV retesting rates among MSM.
Anal cancer is increasing in incidence in the developed world. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes 80 to 90% of all cases, making it the second most strongly HPV-related cancer. HPV-16 causes around 90% of HPV positive cases. Incidence is highest among HIV positive homosexual men, in whom it is one of the most common of all cancers. Women with a history of HPV-associated cancer and transplant recipients are also at high risk.
For a given cohort, histological high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions may be more frequently diagnosed as an anoscopist becomes more experienced with the procedure. This may effect has the potential to impact clinical service delivery and the interpretation of clinical trial data.
