title: Human herpesvirus 8 and human herpesvirus 2 infections in prison population.
abstract: Incarcerated persons have high rates of infectious diseases. Few data on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in prisoners are available. This multi-center cross-sectional study enrolled 973 inmates from eight Italian prisons. Demographic and behavioral data were collected using an anonymous standardized questionnaire and antibodies to HIV, HCV, HBV, HSV-2, and HHV-8 were detected in a blood sample obtained from each person at the time of the enrollment in the study. Two hundred and two out of the 973 subjects (20.7%) had antibodies against HHV-8. HHV-8-seropositive subjects were more likely to be older than 30 years with a higher educational level. HHV-8 infection was associated significantly with HBV (P < 0.001) and HSV-2 (P = 0.004) seropositivity and with previous imprisonments. Multivariate analysis showed that HHV-8 infection in Italian inmates was associated with HBV (P < 0.001) and HSV-2 (P = 0.002) seropositivity otherwise among foreigners inmates HHV-8 was significantly associated with HBV infection (P = 0.05). One hundred and eighty-six (21.2%) prisoners had anti-HSV-2 antibodies. At multivariate analysis HSV-2-positivity was significantly associated with HIV (P < 0.001) and HHV-8 infections (P = 0.003), whereas it was inversely associated with HCV infection (0.004). A relatively high seroprevalence of HHV-8 and HSV-2 among Italian prison inmates was found. The association of HHV-8 and HSV-2 infections suggest sexual transmission of these viruses among Italian prison inmates.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sarmati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babudieri
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Starnini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carbonara
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monarca
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Buonomini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rezza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners; D011330:Prisons; D012307:Risk Factors; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral