Hepatitis A and hepatitis A virus/HIV coinfection in men who have sex with men, Warsaw, Poland, September 2008 to September 2009

We describe the epidemiology and characteristics of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) who had been hospitalised due to the infection in Warsaw, Poland, from September 2008 to September 2009. A total of 50 men were analysed; their median age was 28 years (range: 17-43). None had travelled to hepatitis A-endemic regions during the six months before hospitalisation nor had they been vaccinated against hepatitis A. Of the 50 men, 40 had been tested before hospitalisation or on admission for the presence of anti-HIV antibodies: six were coinfected with HIV. The six HIV-positive MSM were significantly older than those who were HIV negative - median age: 37 years (range: 26-43) versus 28 years (range: 17-43); p=0.02. No difference in disease severity or the duration of hospitalisation was observed, however, between the two groups. Our study underlines the need to screen MSM for hepatitis A and to vaccinate them against hepatitis A. Given the ages of the MSM in our study, we recommend that this be carried out in Poland when the MSM are aged 20-35 years. This should apply not only to MSM with multiple casual partners but also to those in monogamous relationships. .