title: The Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Among Prisoners in Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are among the most important health issues in Turkey. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are less frequently observed in the country. The individuals who had blood transfusions, patients undergoing hemodialysis, and intravenous drug addicted individuals, people who had tattoos/piercings, communal living environments, contamination of a family member, and prisoners are the main risk groups.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to discuss the prevalence and the genotypes of hepatitis and HIV infections among a specific group, namely individuals incarcerated in prisons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-hundred and sixty-six prisoners sentenced for crimes such as robbery, sexual assault, assault substance abuse or selling drugs in the Kahramanmaras closed prison were recruited for the study. Demographic data and the presence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV were investigated in the study subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 266 cases included in the study, 89.5% were male, 10.5% were female and the mean age was 31.21 ± 8.99 years. Risk factors were detected in 27.4% of the subjects. Out of the 73 subjects, among whom the risk factors were detected, 20.3% had intravenous substance use, 3.8% had a history of operation/transfusion, 1.9% had a history of indentation and 1.5% had unprotected sexual contact. The rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity was 2.6%, the ratio of anti-HBs positive subjects was 35.0% and immunity was achieved with vaccination in 43% of the subjects. Anti-HCV was positive in 17.7% of the prisoners and the genotype 3 and genotype 1 were 68.1% (n = 32) and 2.1% (n = 1), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continued substance abuse among most of the drug addicted individuals in prisons, common use of injection materials, tattoos and other circumstances that cause blood contact increase the risk of blood-borne infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keten
authors.affiliation: Kahramanmaras Closed Prison, General Practice, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emin Ova
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Kurtul Family Health Center, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hamit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirri Keten
authors.affiliation: Council of Forensic Medicine, Kahramanmaras Branch, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keten
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Evrim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulderen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seray
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tumer
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caliskan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulotu
keywords: HIV; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Prisoners; Turkey