Seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among female commercial sex workers in South Korea who are not intravenous drug users.
Several previous studies have reported a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among commercial sex workers (CSWs), but the situation is often compounded by coexisting factors, such as intravenous drug use. We conducted a seroepidemiologic study of 1,527 female CSWs in South Korea. All participants tested negative for human immunodeficiency virus and were not illicit intravenous drug users (IDUs). Twenty-one participants (1.4%) were positive for antibodies to HCV. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, a history of acupuncture and diabetes mellitus were associated with the seroprevalence of HCV, whereas time spent as a CSW showed only borderline significance. Sexual activity was not an independent predictor of increased risk for HCV infection in female CSWs who had never been illicit IDUs.
Kweon
Sun-Seog
SS
Department of Preventive Medicine, Seonam University College of Medicine, Namwon, Jeonbuk, South Korea. sskweonx@netian.com
Shin
Min-Ho
MH
Song
Hyeon-Je
HJ
Jeon
Doo-Young
DY
Choi
Jin-Su
JS
D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies