[Serological testing and prevalence of human immunodeficiency, hepatitis B and C viruses infections amongst acute psychiatric inpatients].
OBJECTIVE
The request for serological tests for HIV, HBV and HCV is usual amongst acute psychiatric inpatients. Nevertheless, the seroprevalence and the repercussion of a positive result have been scarcely studied.


METHODS
Serological requests for these viruses were retrospectively analyzed in a sample of 332 psychiatric inpatients.


RESULTS
Serological tests were requested by 65.3% patients. The prevalence of any seropositivity was 7.3%: 1.4% were infected by HIV-I, 3.2% had been in contact with HBV but none had an active infection, and 5.1% were infected by HCV. The presence of a positive result did not change the psychiatric therapeutic approach in any case.


CONCLUSIONS
The low prevalence of seropositivity suggests that such tests should be performed selectively in patients who present risk factors or atypical psychiatric symptoms.
Fernández-Egea
Emilio
E
Institut Clínic de Psiquiatria i Psicologia. Hospital Clínic. Barcelona. España. EEGEA@clinic.ub.es
Gómez Gil
Esther
E
Corbella Santomà
Bàrbara
B
Salamero Baró
Manuel
M
Blanch Andreu
Jordi
J
Valdés Miyar
Manuel
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*