Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Given recent treatment advances for and HIV-related implications of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we sought to identify factors associated with past/current and incident HCV infection within a prospective cohort of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Metro Vancouver, Canada. Eligible participants were recruited from 2012-2015 using respondent-driven sampling, were aged at least 16 years of age and reported recent sex with another man. Participants completed study visits every 6 months that included a computer-assisted self-interview on demographics, sexual and substance use behaviors, and a nurse-administered clinical questionnaire. A rapid HIV test was administered and a venous blood sample was taken for HCV-antibody serology. We used logistic regression and generalized estimating equations to identify factors associated with prevalent HCV antibodies at enrolment and incident HCV infection at follow-up, respectively. New cases of HCV infection indicate a potential shift to sexual transmission among HIV-positive gay men based on a lack of association with recent injecting behavior. Crystal methamphetamine use remains a strong factor associated with HCV seropositivity and predictor of new infection.