A community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A: risk factors for infection among homosexual and bisexual men. 1995

K J Henning, and E Bell, and J Braun, and N D Barker
Epidemiology Program Office, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

OBJECTIVE To assess risk factors for hepatitis A infection among homosexual and bisexual men during a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A in New York City. METHODS Twenty-five homosexual and bisexual men, 20 to 49 years of age with hepatitis A identified from health department surveillance data (cases) were compared with 42 homosexual and bisexual men of similar age distribution who were seronegative for hepatitis A virus and identified from private physician offices (controls). Odds ratio (OR) were determined for acute hepatitis A infection according to demographics, numbers of sexual partners, frequency of specific sexual behaviors, and self-reported human immunodeficiency virus status. RESULTS Cases had more anonymous sex partners (0 to 1 partner versus > 1 partner) than controls during the 6 weeks before illness onset (OR = 4.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 14.4). Cases were more likely than controls to have engaged in group sex (OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 12.6). Among specific sexual behaviors examined, oral-anal intercourse (oral role) and digital-rectal intercourse (digital role) with anonymous sex partners were more commonly reported by cases than controls (OR = 9.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 78.7 and OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.4, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that > 1 anonymous sex partner, group sex, oral-anal intercourse, and digital-rectal intercourse were associated with illness in models controlling for duration of sexual activity. Because these variables were highly correlated, independent risk could not be evaluated in a single model. CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis A infection among homosexual and bisexual men is associated with oral-anal and digital-rectal intercourse, as well as with increasing numbers of anonymous sex partners and group sex. These findings reinforce the importance of developing educational activities for homosexual and bisexual men that focus on risk reduction for hepatitis A as well as other sexually transmitted disease spread via the fecal-oral route.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009519 New York City City located at the mouth of the Hudson River, in New York State.
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D001727 Bisexuality The sexual attraction or relationship between members of both the same and the opposite SEX.
D004196 Disease Outbreaks Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS. Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D006506 Hepatitis A INFLAMMATION of the LIVER in humans caused by a member of the HEPATOVIRUS genus, HUMAN HEPATITIS A VIRUS. It can be transmitted through fecal contamination of food or water. Hepatitis, Infectious,Infectious Hepatitis,Hepatitides, Infectious,Infectious Hepatitides
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor

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