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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Jul;18(3):269-279.
doi: 10.1071/SH20185.

Hepatitis B prevalence association with sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Elliot Marseille  1 , Aaron M Harris  2 , Hacsi Horvath  3 , Andrea Parriott  4 , Mohsen Malekinejad  5 , Noele P Nelson  2 , Michelle Van Handel  6 , James G Kahn  3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Hepatitis B prevalence association with sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Elliot Marseille et al. Sex Health. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Background Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for persons with current or past sexually transmitted infections (STI). Our aim is to systematically assess the association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) sero-markers for current or past infection with syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, or unspecified STIs.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from 1982 to 2018 were searched using medical subject headings (MeSH) terms for HBV, STIs and epidemiology. We included studies conducted in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries or Latin America that permit the calculation of prevalence ratios (PRs) for HBV and STIs and extracted PRs and counts by HBV and STI status.

Results: Of 3144 identified studies, 43 met inclusion requirements, yielding 72 PRs. We stratified outcomes by HBV sero-markers [surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), combined], STI pathogen (syphilis, gonorrhoea/chlamydia, unspecified), and STI history (current, past) resulting in 18 potential outcome groups, for which results were available for 14. For the four outcome groups related to HBsAg, PR point estimates ranged from 1.65 to 6.76. For the five outcome groups related to anti-HBc, PRs ranged from 1.30 to 1.82; and for the five outcome groups related to combined HBV markers, PRs ranged from 1.15 to 1.89). The median HBsAg prevalence among people with a current or past STI was 4.17; not all studies reported HBsAg. Study settings and populations varied.

Conclusion: This review found evidence of association between HBV infection and current or past STIs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Flowchart for systematic review1 1From: Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097 2. Three studies contributed outcomes to two HBV marker types
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Forest plot - Association between HBsAg and past and current syphilis.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Forest plot - Association between HBsAg and past unspecified STIs.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Forest plot - Association between HBsAg and current gonorrhea
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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