Hepatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hepatitis, including details on hepatitis a, b, c, causes, symptoms.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus and/or Hepatitis C virus co-infections in prisoners infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Pontali E, Ferrari F

Prison of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. pontals@yahoo.com

Correctional facilities host a disproportionately high prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infection. We evaluated the prevalence of HBV and/or HCV co-infection among HIV-infected inmates entering our correctional facility. Over a 30-month period, 173 consecutive HIV-infected inmates entered our institution and were evaluated. HCV co-infection was observed in more than 90% of the tested HIV-infected inmates, past HBV infection in 77.4% and active HBV co-infection in 6.7%; triple coinfection (HIV, HCV and HBs-Ag positivity) was seen in 6.1% of them. Given the observed high prevalence of co-infection, testing for HBV and HCV in all HIV-infected inmates at entry in any correctional system is recommended to identify those in need of specific care and/or preventing interventions.

Published 8 May 2008 in Int J Prison Health, 4(2): 77-82.
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