|
|
Abstract
Seroprevalence of viral hepatitis, HIV and syphilis among homeless adults living in Tehran
S.M. Hosseini Moghaddam1, P. Vahdani2, R. Moheb Dezfuli2
Background: Homeless people are usually prone to be infected with multiple infectious diseases such as HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study using a validated questionnaire and laboratory method of Elisa we evaluated the seroprevalance of hepatitis B and C, HIV and syphilis, as well as their risk factors in 202 male homeless people. Anti-HCV as well as anti -HIV seropositive cases were reevaluated using HIV-western blot assay and HCV-RNA PCR.
Results: A total of 70(34.7%), 87(42.8%) and 13(6.4%) subjects were infected with HCV, HBV and HIV, respectively. Ten subjects (0.5%) had a simultaneous infection with HBV, HCV and HIV. Only one participant was seropositive of RPR. History of smoking and opium addiction was present in 144 (71.6%) and 109 (54.2%) subjects, respectively. Although all HIV positive subjects were HCV positive, 10 participants (76.9%) had a history of IV drug abuse. Risk factors including intravenous drug abuse (p<0.005) and imprisonment (p<0.05) were significantly associated with all three viral infections. We found no significant association between high- risk sexual behavior and these infectious.
Conclusions: Although syphilis seems no to be frequent among homeless adults living in Iran, the relative frequencies of HBV, HCV and HIV were quite noticeable. History of drug abuse should be taken into account in screening of homeless people. Considering cultural factors, high-risk sexual behavior seems not to play important role in propagation of viral hepatitis as well as AIDS epidemics in this region.
AIDS 2008 - XVII International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
CDC0138
Suggested Citation
"S.M.HosseiniMoghaddam, et al.
Seroprevalence of viral hepatitis, HIV and syphilis among homeless adults living in Tehran.
:
AIDS 2008 - XVII International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
CDC0138"
|
|
|