Hepatitis B virus infection in prisons: A seroepidemiological survey in prisoners and attending staff

Abstract

Prisoners and attending staff from six houses of detention were screened for serum HBsAg, anti HBs, antiHBc and transaminases. Both prisoners and warders showed an increased prevalence of HBV serum markers with respect to age- and sex-matched general population control groups. The HBsAg carrier rate was 6.7% in prisoners and 6.6% in staff. Sixty-five per cent of the HBsAg-positive subjects were antiHBe-positive. When the blood samples were taken, all the HBsAg-positive subjects were asymptomatic; transaminases were normal in 80% and only slightly elevated in 20%. Illicit drug abuse was found to be a relevant risk factor for HBV infection among prisoners under 35 yearts of age, but not in the older group, whereas no correlation emerged between presence of HBV serum markers and tattoos or admitted homosexuality. A high prevalance of HBV serum markers as also found among young warders who had been in service for a short time: most of them, however, come from areas of Italy with a particularly elevated HBV circulation. Although the results suggest that many of the HBV infections are not recently acquired within the institution, this survey confirms that prisons should be regarded as high risk areas for HBV infection, both for prisoners and warders.

Correlates of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections among prison inmates and officers in Ghana: A national multicenter study

“…The seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis in prisoners was 19.2%, 17.4%, 19.2% and 11%, respectively, and comparable to 8.5%, 3.7%, 23.2% and 4.9%, respectively among the prison officers in these 2 sampled prisons in Ghana [ 19 ]. A similar seroepidemiology survey in prisoners and prison officers in Italy reported comparable HbsAg carrier rate of 6.7% in prisoners and 6.6% in prison officers [ 20 ]. A more recent similar study in Greece reported a higher HbsAg carrier rate of 20.0% in prison officers compared to a rate of 13.3% in prisoners, but a lower HCV seroprevalence of 5.0% in prison officers compared to a seroprevalence of 15.5% in prisoners [ 21 ].…”

Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Hepatitis B and C Infection in Correctional Institutions in British Columbia

“…intravenous drug users (3) and hemophiliacs (4). Several studies (5)(6)(7)(8) have shown that there is a high prevalence of infection with hepatitis B virus (1-IBV) in residents of correctional institutions. Recent studies have also shown a high prevalence of infection with HCV in residents of correctional institutions (9-11).…”

Occult hepatitis B infection in Egyptian health care workers

“…The male to female ratio increased from 1.2 in asymptomatic carriers to 6.3 in chronic liver disease and 9.8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chiaramonte et al (22) have noted a greater ability in women to produce hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) in adulthood. It is postulated that male patients with chronic HBV infection might have more frequent HBV DNA integration and subsequent development of HCC (21).…”