Predictive markers for hepatitis C virus infection among Brazilian inmates

Abstract

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.

Prevalence and epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C among prisoners of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

“…Tattooing was significantly higher in anti-HCV positive groups, which agrees with previous research (10,11,18). Despite these other factors, the highest prevalence of hepatitis C in prisons is related to injecting drug use, which was clear in both the bivariate and multivariate analyses, as described in other studies (7,13,16,18,(36)(37)(38)(39).…”

“…Nevertheless, the present findings are similar to results obtained in prisoners in the municipality of Manhuaçú, Minas Gerais state (6%), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo state (8.7%), and Salvador, Bahia state (6.4%) (15,18,19). In the female incarcerated population of Campo Grande the rate was lower than that found in the Butantã Prison, São Paulo state (16.2%) (17).…”

“…Despite these other factors, the highest prevalence of hepatitis C in prisons is related to injecting drug use, which was clear in both the bivariate and multivariate analyses, as described in other studies (7,13,16,18,(36)(37)(38)(39). The prevalence of anti-HCV was higher among older individuals, which was most probably due to risky behaviors throughout life, a fact observed in Campo Grande and in other incarcerated populations and groups of injecting drug users (11,37,40).…”

“…A review of previously published international studies has shown a range between 1.5-47.9% (9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Previous Brazilian studies have demonstrated values from 6.3 to 41% (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19).…”

Hepatitis C in prisoners and non-prisoners in Colatina, Espírito Santo, Brazil

“…In Brazil, information about hepatitis C has become more accessible following the publication of several studies (Paltanim, Reiche, 2002;Zarife et al, 2006;Strazza et al, 2007;Fagundes et al, 2008;Gabe, Lara, 2008;Coelho et al, 2009; Ferrao et al, 2009;Mousquer, Castro, 2009;Silva et al, 2010;Oliveira-Filho et al, 2010;Santos et al, 2011). Fagundes et al (2008) found that 2.2% (10/457) of adults in Criciúma (Santa Catarina) were anti-HCV positive and that 1.53% (7/457) were HCV RNA-positive, but the study did not identify the HCV genotype (16).…”