Sexually Transmitted Hepatitis (cap. 13)

Viral hepatitis infections occur worldwide, although the specific epidemiology changes according to the geographic region and the route of transmission. Nevertheless, sexual spread may be accounted for a relevant number of cases. Hepatitis B virus is a well-recognized sexually transmitted infection in both developed and developing countries. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is generally considered transmitted via the fecal-oral route or through contaminated food or water. Nevertheless, person-to-person contact has been suggested in the men who have sex with men (MSM) community since the end of the 1970s. During the following decades, several outbreaks have defined epidemiology and risk factors for HAV acquisition through sexual contact in this population. Similarly, sexual transmission for hepatitis C (HCV) infection was not considered efficient until the occurrence of outbreaks in the MSM community following specific sexual practices such as fisting, chemsex/slamsex, and other traumatic procedures that might lead to permucosal, sexual transmission of HCV.