Predictive markers for hepatitis C virus infection among Brazilian inmates.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has quite high prevalence in the prison system, reaching rates of up to 40%. This survey aimed to estimate the prevalence of HCV infection and evaluate risk factors for this exposure among male inmates at the Ribeirão Preto Prison, State of São Paulo, Brazil, between May and August 2003. A total of 333 participants were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire and underwent immunoenzymatic assaying to investigate anti-HCV. The prevalence of HCV infection among the inmates was 8.7% (95% CI: 5.7-11.7). The participants'mean age was 30.1 years, and the prevalence was predominantly among individuals over 30 years of age. Multivariate analysis showed that the variables that were independently associated with HCV infection were age > 30 years, tattooing, history of previous hepatitis, previous injection drug use and previous needle-sharing.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. harnoldo@usp.br
Harnoldo Colares
HC
Coelho
Sabrina Alberti Nóbrega
SA
de Oliveira
Juliana Custódio
JC
Miguel
Maria de Lourdes Aguiar
Mde L
Oliveira
José Fernando de Castro
JF
Figueiredo
Gleici Castro
GC
Perdoná
Afonso Dinis Costa
AD
Passos
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies