Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Zagreb, Croatia

• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-008-9436-7
• Publication Date: 2008-08-08T18:39:45Z
• Authors: Ivana Bozicevic; Oktavija Dakovic ...; Snjezana Zidovec ...; Lisa Grazina John...; Aleksandar Stulhofer; Zoran Dominkovic; Valerio Bacak; Davorka Lukas; Josip Begovac
• Keywords: Male; Hepatitis C/epidemiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral/transmission; Croatia; Sexual Behavior; Hepatitis B/epidemiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; /; HIV Infections; 03 medical and health sciences; Risk-Taking; 0302 clinical medicine; Risk Factors; Prevalence; Humans; Syphilis; Homosexuality, Male; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral/prevention & control; Syphilis/epidemiology; Data Collection; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology; Croatia/epidemiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; 3. Good health; Homosexuality, Male/statistics & numerical data; Sexual Partners; HIV Infections/epidemiology; Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/transmission

We used respondent-driven sampling among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Zagreb, Croatia in 2006 to investigate the prevalence of HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and sexual behaviours. We recruited 360 MSM. HIV infection was diagnosed in 4.5%. The seroprevalence of antibodies to viral pathogens was: herpes simplex virus type-2, 9.4%; hepatitis A, 14.2%; hepatitis C, 3.0%. Eighty percent of participants were susceptible to HBV infection (HBs antigen negative, and no antibodies to HBs and HBc antigen). Syphilis seroprevalence was 10.6%. Prevalence of Chlamydia and gonorrhoea was 9.0%, and 13.2%, respectively. Results indicate the need for interventions to diagnose, treat and prevent sexually transmitted infections among this population.