Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in female sex workers from four cities in the state of Pará, northern Brazil

Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV in female sex workers from four cities in the state of Pará, northern Brazil

Female sex workers (FSWs) represent a high vulnerability group for the acquisition of sexual and parenteral infections such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of serological markers and risk factors associated with e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical virology Vol. 93; no. 6; pp. 3730 - 3737
Main Authors: Miranda, Nelba T. G. P., Souza, Ronaldo L., Monteiro, Jacqueline C., Costa, Iran B., Siravenha, Leonardo Q., Luz, Anderson L. B., Almeida, Núbia C. C., Oliveira‐Filho, Aldemir B., Laurentino, Rogério V., Machado, Luiz F. A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-06-2021
Subjects:
Antibodies
Antigens
Cities
Enzyme immunoassay
Exposure
female sex workers
HBV
HCV
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Immunoassay
Infections
Markers
Risk analysis
Risk factors
Risk reduction
Serology
seroprevalence
Sex
Sex industry
Vaccines
Virology
Viruses
Brazil
seroprevalence
HCV
female sex workers
HBV
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Summary:Female sex workers (FSWs) represent a high vulnerability group for the acquisition of sexual and parenteral infections such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of serological markers and risk factors associated with exposure to HBV and HCV among FSWs in the state of Pará, Brazil. A cross‐sectional study using principles of the time location sampling (TLS) method was conducted in four cities (Belém, Bragança, Barcarena, and Augusto Corrêa) of the state of Pará, from 2005 to 2006. In total, 365 FSWs were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Blood samples were collected and tested for serological markers of exposure to HBV and HCV using an enzyme immunoassay. The overall prevalence of exposure to HBV and HCV was 36.7% and 7.7%, respectively. The prevalence of surface antigen of HBV was 3.0%. The prevalence of anti‐HBc and anti‐HBc+ anti‐HBs antibodies were 6.3% and 27.4%. Very few (4.7%) FSWs had vaccine immunity against HBV (anti‐HBs antibodies only). The prevalence of anti‐HCV antibodies was 7.7%. Low monthly income, drug usage, and unprotected sex were some of the social characteristics associated with exposure to the viruses using different analysis. The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infections among FSWs in four cities of the state of Pará is high when compared to the general population of Brazil, but similar to those found in FSWs in other nondeveloped countries. The prevalence of HBV was higher in Belém, while the prevalence of HCV was higher in the other three cities, highlighting the importance of establishing control and prevention programs to reduce the risk of acquiring these viruses in Pará.
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ISSN:0146-6615
1096-9071
DOI:10.1002/jmv.26759