Hepatitis D virus infection among prostitutes in Taiwan.
Two hundred and sixty-three adult licensed, 233 adult and 157 teenage unlicensed prostitutes from Taiwan were studied for prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection. The hepatitis B carrier rate among the three groups was 21, 15 and 20%, respectively, not significantly different from that of the general population in this area. However, the prevalence of HDV infection among carrier prostitutes was 55, 36 and 16%, respectively, much higher than that in general hepatitis B carriers. Univariate analysis revealed that the history of conducting paid sex for more than 12 months (P < 0.03), ear-piercing (P < 0.02), tattooing (P < 0.02), and gonorrhoea or syphilis (P < 0.005) were significant factors associated with HDV infection among these subjects. Multivariate analysis revealed that the history of ear-piercing and venereal diseases (P < 0.001) were still significant. In summary, genital ulcers caused by venereal diseases due to frequent sexual contact with multiple partners, and use of unsterilized needles in ear-piercing or tattooing play important roles in the high prevalence of HDV infection in prostitutes.
Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
J C
JC
Wu
Y J
YJ
Wang
S J
SJ
Hwang
T Z
TZ
Chen
Y S
YS
Wang
H C
HC
Lin
S D
SD
Lee
W Y
WY
Sheng
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology