Infection by hepatitis B and C virus in non-intravenous drug using female prostitutes in Spain

Eur J Epidemiol. 1992 Sep;8(5):656-9. doi: 10.1007/BF00145380.

Abstract

We have studied the prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) serologic markers in female blood donors and in female prostitutes and the relationship of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) with the presence of treponemal antibodies (FTA-ABS) in non-intravenous drug using female prostitutes. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in 1.0% of the female blood donors, anti-HBc in 15.6% and anti-HCV in 0.7%. In the prostitutes, the prevalence of HBsAg was 6.1%, anti-HBc was positive in 29.0% and anti-HCV in 8.8%. No significant statistical association between the prevalence of anti-HBc or anti-HCV and the age of prostitutes (p = 0.9111 and p = 0.8254 respectively) or the length of time as prostitutes (p = 0.3583 and p = 0.5770) was found. FTA-ABS positive prostitutes had a significantly higher prevalence of anti-HCV than FTA-ABS negative prostitutes (p < 0.001). No statistical association was found between anti-HBc antibodies and positive FTA-ABS prostitutes (p = 0.336).

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Female
  • Hepacivirus / immunology
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / analysis
  • Hepatitis B / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis B Antigens / analysis
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens / analysis
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / analysis
  • Hepatitis B e Antigens / analysis
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C / immunology
  • Hepatitis Delta Virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Sex Work*
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders*
  • Syphilis / epidemiology
  • Syphilis / immunology
  • Time Factors
  • Treponema pallidum / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Hepatitis Antibodies
  • Hepatitis B Antigens
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • Hepatitis B e Antigens