A study on HIV and hepatitis C virus among commercial sex workers in Tallinn.
BACKGROUND
Estonia is confronted by a dramatic expansion of the initially injection drug use-driven HIV epidemic. Little is known about HIV occurrence in population groups at high risk other than injection drug users.


OBJECTIVE
To obtain data on the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among female sex workers (FSW) in Tallinn.


METHODS
An unlinked, anonymous, cross-sectional survey of FSW recruited in Tallinn from October 2005 to May 2006.


METHODS
227 FSW were recruited for the survey and biological sample collection (HIV, HCV antibodies detection) using a combination of time-location, community and respondent-driven sampling.


RESULTS
Among 227 women the HIV and HCV prevalences were 7.6% (95% CI 4.6% to 12.5%) and 7.9% (95% CI 4.5% to 12.6%), respectively. HIV prevalence was higher among FSW working in the street (odds ratio (OR) 6.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 35.6) and at the brothels and apartments supervised by the organised sex industry (OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.3 to 18.4). The duration of sex work was negatively associated with HIV prevalence (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.97).


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention needs of FSW in this area include increasing rates of HIV testing and putting in place effective programmes that can help extend HIV prevention behaviours across a range of sexual and drug use risk behaviours.
Uusküla
A
A
Department of Public Health, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia. anneli.uuskula@ut.ee
Fischer
K
K
Raudne
R
R
Kilgi
H
H
Krylov
R
R
Salminen
M
M
Brummer-Korvenkontio
H
H
St Lawrence
J
J
Aral
S
S
D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data