title: Prevalence and Incidence of HCV Infection among Prisoners in Central Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this multicenter, cross sectional study was to assess the prevalence, incidence and associated risk factors among incarcerated populations from twelve Brazilian prisons. The total of 3,368 individuals from twelve prisons was randomly recruited between March 2013 and March 2014. Participants were interviewed, and provided blood samples which were tested for antibodies to Hepatitis C (HCV ab). One year after the first investigation, a cohort study was conducted with 1,656 inmates who participated the cross sectional study. Positive samples were tested for the presence of HCV RNA. Out of 3,368 inmates, 520 (15.4%) were females, and 2,848 (84.6%) were males. The overall prevalence of HCV was 2.4% (95% CI: 1.9 to 2.9), with 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4 to 0.8) in females, and 2.7% (95% CI: 2.1 to 3.3) in males (p<0.01). HCV RNA was detected in 51/80 (63.7%) samples. Among men prisoners, multivariate analysis of associated factors showed independent associations between HCV exposure and increasing age, inject drug use, length of incarceration, smoking hashish, sharing needle and syringe and HIV positivity. During the cohort study, 7/1,656 new cases of HCV infection were detected, and the incidence rate was 0.4/100 person-year. Once high frequency rates of specific HCV risk behaviors and new HCV infections have been identified inside prisons, effective interventions strategies such as screening, clinical evaluation and treatment to reduce the spread of HCV infection are essential.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Antonio Moreira
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6514-537X
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Puga
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Melo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauricio Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pompilio
authors.affiliation: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Mato Grosso do Sul, MS, Brazil.|Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Croda
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Grazielli Rocha de
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Paiva
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Dorisbor
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tayana Serpa Ortiz
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Alves
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Cesar
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sheila Araújo
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simionatto
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alisson Richard Teixeira
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Novais
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nepomuceno
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lisie Souza
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Barbara Vieira do
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Lago
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.|Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Mato Grosso do Sul, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Rita Coimbra
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Motta-Castro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult