SEROPREVALENCE OF HIV, HEPATITIS B AND C AND SYPHILIS AMONG MEN HAVING SEX WITH MEN IN MAHAJANGA (MAGADASCAR)

Description

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are public health concerns worldwide. The aim of our study is to assess infection and coinfection with HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis among men having sex with men in Mahajanga which is a western coastal town of Madagascar. We conducted a prospective and descriptive preliminary study in the laboratory of the University Hospital Center PZAGA in Mahajanga during a period of three months, from December 2014 to February 2015. We included 100 MSM in our study. Their mean age was 36 yrs (16 to 55 yrs). We found 30% of seropositive men among our sample. HIV positive men are mainly part of the age group [20–29 yrs]. The mean age of positive men was respectively 38 yrs., 36 yrs., 48 yrs.  and 39 yrs. for HIV, for HBV, HCV, and syphilis. We found respectively for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis 7%, 1% and 11% positive samples. We found no co-infection HIV and HCV for them. But we found 5% of coinfection HIV-HBV, 4% of coinfection HIV-syphilis and 1% of coinfection of HIV, HBV and syphilis. We highlighted a very high rate of HIV positivity among MSM living in Mahajanga. Efforts have to be made in order to sensitize them about risky behaviors.