Screening for viral hepatitis among male non-drug-abuse prisoners.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the associated risk factors in a prison population.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, from November 2004 to February 2005, all 297 newly sentenced prisoners (mean age 37.5+/-11.7 years, age range 16-69 years), who had never used illicit drugs received routine blood check-ups and completed a face-to-face interview. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies were tested using the t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression.


RESULTS
Among the 297 subjects, 13.1% were positive for HBsAg, 8.4% were positive for anti-HCV, and 1.7% were positive for combined HBsAg and anti-HCV. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that tattooing (odds ratio=2.24, 95% CI=1.03-4.88) and an elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) level (odds ratio=4.10, 95% CI=1.61-10.40) were independently related to HCV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening of HBV and HCV infection in prison populations remains necessary. Tattooing and elevated ALAT level are identified as the related factors of HCV infection.
Liao
Kuan-Fu
KF
Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Prison, and Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.
Lai
Shih-Wei
SW
Chang
Wu-Long
WL
Hsu
Nan-Yung
NY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies