Prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in men who have sex with men enrolled in a demonstration study of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV in Cotonou, Benin

Introduction: men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide. In Benin, there are no data on MSM. The purpose of this study was to estimate HBV and HCV prevalence and HBV-associated factors in MSM who were HIV negative. Methods: we conducted an analytical cross-sectional study. A two -degree random sampling was used to recruit 204 MSM. An immunochromatographic rapid test and enzyme immunoassays were used to detect HBV and HCV antigens/antibodies. Log -binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with HBV. Results: HbsAg positivity, history of hepatitis B infection and hepatitis C prevalences were 37.7%, 8.8 %, and 0.9 %, respectively. HBsAg positivity and history of hepatitis B were more prevalent in MSM aged >= 30 years compared to younger subjects: 16.7% versus 6.4% (p<0.0001) and 66.7% versus 28.8% (p<0.0001), respectively. Sexual intercourse under the effect of drug or alcohol and living in couple were also associated with HBV. conclusion: the prevalence of hepatitis C was low, but hepatitis B was common, especially among older MSM. Screening and vaccination against hepatitis B should be strengthened in this population.