Research analyzing European survey data from 113,884 men who have sex with men (MSM) and published in Eurosurveillance indicates that while most MSM have a basic understanding of viral hepatitis, only 44% report having been vaccinated against both hepatitis A and B. The data highlight notable immunisation gaps despite available vaccination and recommendations. Strong public health support and creating an open environment that enables MSM to follow recommendations will be crucial to reduce outbreaks among MSM and eliminate hepatitis B.
Men who have sex with men are more likely to get infected with viral hepatitis, with risks being exacerbated by stigma and discrimination, which can affect access to healthcare services. While sex between men is the second most commonly reported route of acute hepatitis B virus infection in Europe, only three quarters of European countries (32/42) recommend vaccination against hepatitis B specifically for MSM. Outbreaks of hepatitis A have been reported among MSM worldwide, including a large multi-country outbreak in Europe in 2016–2018.
However, just under half of European countries (19/43) recommend hepatitis A vaccination for MSM. The two studies looked at data from 113,884 participants in the WHO European Region from the European MSM Internet Survey 2017 (EMIS-2017) with Brandl et al. analysing vaccination uptake data, and Burdi et al.
reviewing basic knowledge about hepatitis A and B. EMIS-2017 was an anonymous, open access internet surve.
