[Comparison of human papilloma virus infection status between men who have sex with men recruited from gay bathhouses and HIV voluntary counseling and testing clinics respectively in Urumqi]

Abstract

Objective: To understand the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection status in men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited from gay bathhouses and HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) clinics in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and identify the associated risk factors. Methods: A total of 200 MSM aged ≥18 years were recruited by using the " snowballing" sampling method from gay bathhouses and VCT clinics in Urumqi during March-May, 2016. The MSM recruited completed questionnaires after filling in the informed consent form. The information about their demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors were collected, and anal swabs were collected from them for HPV genotyping. Results: The overall HPV infection rate was 54.0%. The HPV infection rate was 66.7%(74/111) in MSM from gay bathhouses and 38.2%(34/89) in MSM from VCT clinics and the high risk type HPV infection rate was 39.6% (44/111) in MSM from gay bathhouses and 14.6% (13/89) in MSM from VCT clinics, the differences were significant (χ(2)=16.112, P<0.05; χ(2)=15.190, P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the major risk factors for HPV infection included activity in gay bathhouse (OR=3.732, 95% CI: 1.950-7.141) and anal sexual behavior (OR=2.555, 95%CI: 1.329-4.912). Conclusion: The prevalence of HPV in MSM from gay bathhouses was higher than that in MSM from VCT clinics, indicating that close attention should be paid to the behavior intervention in MSM.

Keywords: Gay bathhouse; HIV voluntary counsel and test clinic; Human papilloma virus; Men who have sex with men.