Objectives: To investigate the characteristics of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a sample of men who sought voluntary testing and counseling (VCT) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in a community-based center in Yokohama, Japan. The prevalence of HIV/STIs and the incidence rate of HIV were also assessed.
Methods: We investigated VCT records of 449 clients who received free anonymous night VCT services between 2008 and 2011. The tests included rapid HIV antibody, Treponema pallidum antibody (TP Ab), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) tests. We also analyzed VCT records of 82 clients who had at least two tests at our center to estimate the HIV incidence rate.
Results: The number of MSM who visited the community center for the first time was 423. Those who resided in Kanagawa Prefecture accounted for 78.5% of the sample, and 30.5% had never been tested for HIV previously. The rate of consistent condom use in the past six months was 44.9%. The results revealed that 3.1%, 10.2%, and 1.7% of MSM tested positive for HIV, TP Ab, and HBs Ag respectively. There was no significant difference in age, residence, previous HIV-testing rates, and the rate of consistent condom use in the past six months between subjects who underwent multiple HIV tests at the community center and those who did not undergo any test after the first visit. HIV-positive individuals were all referred to hospitals nearby. Of 82 repeat HIV testers, one was a seroconverter, indicating an incidence rate of 1.00 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval, 0.00-5.58).
Conclusion: Our VCT services were accepted by MSM with a high risk of HIV/STIs infection. HIV prevalence was higher than that at local health centers. The HIV incidence rate was equivalent to the previous study that estimated HIV incidence rate from national and sentinel surveillance data. Creating and sustaining alternative VCT venues targeting MSM with high risk of HIV/STIs infection should be considered in other prefectures in Japan to facilitate the early detection and treatment of HIV/STIs.