scholarly journals Viral hepatitis in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia 2003–2017

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Sullivan ◽  
Rob Baird ◽  
Kevin Freeman ◽  
Hugh Heggie ◽  
Joshua S. Davis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The demographic of Northern Territory prison population differs than elsewhere in Australia and the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C may therefore be somewhat different from other jurisdictions. There has been no study which has specifically described the serological results of a large proportion of prisoners in Northern Territory correctional facilities over an extended period of time. Methods This retrospective longitudinal study reviewed serological results and testing rates for hepatitis B, and hepatitis C performed in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia between July 1st, 2003 and June 30th, 2017. Results The proportion of positive records over 14 years for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 641/12,066 (5.3, 95% CI 4.9–5.7), for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) 4937/12,138 (40.1, 95%CI 39.8–41.6), for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) 6966/13,303 (52.4, 95% CI 51.5–53.2), and for hepatitis C antibody 569/12,153 (4.7, 95% CI 4.3–5.1). The proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C has decreased since 2015, while a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B. Conclusion There is a relatively high proportion of positive serological markers of hepatitis B, and a lower proportion of positive hepatitis C serology in the Northern Territory’s correctional facilities compared to overall Australian rates. As the proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and C has decreased recently, and a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B, there are opportunities to increase testing and vaccination rates in this population.

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 259-259
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Moore ◽  
Erin Dunn ◽  
Stacey L. Tannenbaum ◽  
Tulay Koru-Sengul

259 Background: According to the American Cancer Association, hepatitisB and Cinfections may raise liver cancer risk. We identify population-specific cancer-attributable hepatitis prevalence to discern disparities across race/ethnicity for liver cancer risk. Methods: Data from 1999-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to determine prevalence, unadjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for non-Hispanic-Whites (NHW), non-Hispanic-Blacks (NHB), Mexican-Americans, other Hispanics, and other race of hepatitis, taking complex sampling design into account. Results: Among those sampled, the overall highest prevalence of hepatitis infection was 66.4% in NHW for hepatitis-C and the lowest prevalence was 1.4% in Mexican-Americans for hepatitis-B surface-antigen. NHB were more likely than NHW to have hepatitis-B infections of surface-antibody (OR=1.9; 95%CI=1.8-2.0), core-antibody (3.3; 3.1-3.6), surface-antigen (5.3; 3.6-7.7), and hepatitis-C infections (1.7; 1.5-2.0). Compared to NHW, other Hispanics had a higher burden of hepatitis-B infection of surface-antibody (1.5; 1.4-1.7) and core-antibody (2.5; 2.1-2.8); other race had the same higher infection pattern as other Hispanics in surface-antibody (2.4; 2.2-2.6) and core-antibody (6.7; 6.0-7.5). Surface-antibody was more prevalent (1.5; 1.4-1.6) while core-antibody was less prevalent (0.9; 0.8-0.9) among Mexican-Americans compared with NHW. Conclusions: The prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections varies across different race/ethnicities with NHB having the greatest burden compared with NHW. Population-based databases should collect more information regarding infection burden in at-risk groups in order to understand more about these disparities. Appreciating such gaps across demographics could assist in future efforts to decrease the burden of hepatitis and to provide a base for targeted liver cancer prevention programs via screening, vaccination, health promotion, and literacy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 791-798
Author(s):  
Ivailo Alexiev ◽  
Elitsa Golkocheva-Markova ◽  
Asya Kostadinova ◽  
Reneta Dimitrova ◽  
Lora Nikolova ◽  
...  

Aim: To evaluate hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among individuals with HIV/AIDS in Bulgaria diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Materials & methods: A total of 1158 individuals were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the study period. Different transmission groups were tested with ELISA and real-time PCR for HBV and HCV markers. Results: Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C virus antiboby were found in 9.3 and 23.2% of the tested. HBV DNA and HCV RNA has been found in 47.4 and 69.6%. Hepatitis B and C co-infections were predominant in multiple risk behavior groups, including people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, prisoners and Roma individuals. Conclusion: HIV prevalence in Bulgaria is low but the rates of hepatitis B and C co-infections among these patients fall within the upper range reported in Europe.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Semvua Kilonzo ◽  
Daniel W. Gunda ◽  
David C. Majinge ◽  
Hyasinta Jaka ◽  
Paulina M. Manyiri ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Methadone therapy clinics have been recently introduced in Tanzania, aiming at reducing risk behaviors and infection rates of viral hepatitis and HIV among people who use drugs. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, associated factors and knowledge level of these conditions among people who use drugs attending a methadone clinic in Tanzania.Methods: We enrolled 253 People who using drugs receiving Methadone therapy. Clinical data was retrospectively collected from the medical records and face-to face interviews were conducted to determine the behavioral risk factors and respondents’ knowledge on viral hepatitis and HIV.Results: An overall seroprevalence of viral hepatitis (either hepatitis B surface antigen or anti-hepatitis C virus) was 6.3%, while that of hepatitis B virus mono infection was 3.5% and anti-hepatitis C virus mono infection was 3.5%. Seroprevalence of HIV was 12.6%. Viral hepatitis was strongly predicted by advanced age (>35 years) (p=0.02) and staying at Kirumba area (p=0.004), and HIV infection was predicted by increased age (>37 years) (p=0.04) and female sex (p<0.001). Regarding the knowledge of viral hepatitis, majority of the respondents were unaware of the transmission methods and availability of hepatitis B virus vaccines and only 17% were classified as well informed (provided ≥ 4 correct answers out of 7 questions). Good knowledge was highly predicted by higher education level of the individual (p=0.001).Conclusions: Despite the efforts to curb viral hepatitis and HIV infections through Methadone clinics, infection rates among people who use drugs are still high and the general knowledge on preventive measures is inadequate.


1997 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1487-1493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie H Tobler ◽  
Michael P Busch

Abstract The risk of hepatitis virus transmission from transfusions has declined dramatically from that of the 1940s when posttransfusion hepatitis (PTH) was first appreciated. Introduction of hepatitis B surface antigen screening and conversion to volunteer donors for whole-blood donations in the late 1960s and early 1970s led to substantial reduction in PTH cases. However, up to 10% of the recipients continued to develop PTH, most cases of which were attributed to an unknown non-A, non-B viral agent. Implementation of surrogate marker testing (i.e., alanine aminotransferase and anti-hepatitis B virus core antigen) for residual non-A, non-B hepatitis in the late 1980s reduced the per unit risk of PTH from 1 in 200 to about 1 in 400. Hepatitis C virus was discovered in 1989 and quickly was established as the causative agent of &gt;90% of non-A, non-B PTH. Introduction of progressively improved antibody assays in the early 1990s reduced the risk of PTH due to hepatitis C virus to about 1 in 100 000. Although additional hepatitis viruses exist (e.g., hepatitis G virus), these appear to be minor contributors to clinical PTH, which has been virtually eradicated.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tulika Chandra ◽  
S. Nishat Fatima Rizvi ◽  
Devisha Agarwal

Transfusion transmitted infections are major problem associated with blood transfusion. Accurate estimates of risk of TTIs are essential for monitoring the safety of blood supply and evaluating the efficacy of currently employed screening procedures. The present study was carried out to assess the percentage of voluntary donors and replacement donors and to find out prevalence and changing trends of various TTIs blood donors in recent years. A study was carried out on blood units of voluntary and replacement donors which were collected from January 2008 to December 2012. On screening of 180,371 replacement units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in replacement donors was 0.15% in HIV, 1.67% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.49% in hepatitis C virus, 0.01% in VDRL, and 0.009% in malaria. Of 11,977 voluntary units, seropositivity of transfusion transmitted disease in voluntary donors was 0.08% in HIV, 0.24% in hepatitis B surface antigen, 0.001% in hepatitis C virus, 0.008% in VDRL (sexually transmitted disease), and 0.01% in malaria. From results it has been concluded that prevalence of transfusion transmitted infection (HIV, HBV, HCV, VDRL, and malaria) was more in replacement donors in comparison to voluntary donors. Extensive donor selection and screening procedures will help in improving the blood safety.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph-Sydney Mboumba Bouassa ◽  
Zita Aleyo Nodjikouambaye ◽  
Damtheou Sadjoli ◽  
Ali Mahamat Moussa ◽  
Chatte Adawaye ◽  
...  

Abstract Childbearing-aged women (n = 266) attending a gynecological clinic in Chad were subjected to multiplex immunochromatographic rapid test for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ten (3.7%) and 8 (3.0%) were seropositive for HIV and HCV, respectively, and 20 (7.5%) for HBV surface antigen, allowing diagnosis of chronic viral infections in 1 of 7 (14.3%) women.


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