HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis prevalence and coinfection among sex workers in Southern Brazil

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tubarão, Laguna, and Imbituba, Southern Brazil. We surveyed 147 SWs using face-to-face interviews and blood sampling for serological evaluation.

Results

Prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) was 23.1%, syphilis 19.7%, hepatitis C (HCV) 8.8%, and HIV 8.8%. Of 13 HIV-infected patients, 3 were co-infected with HCV, 4 with syphilis, and 5 with HBV.

Conclusions

SWs had high HIV infection rates, and coinfection with viral hepatitis and syphilis.

HIV; Hepatitis; Syphilis

Characteristic	Total	HIV+		HCV+		HBV+^§		Syphilis+
Characteristic	Total	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Age (years)
18-24	57	3	5.3	2	6.5	8	14.0	6	10.5
25-34	59	8	13.6	6	10.2	15	25.4	12	20.3
≥35	31	2	6.5	5	16.1	11	35.5	11	35.5^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.
Gender
female	134	7	5.2	12	9.0	30	22.4	27	20.1
male/transgender	13	6	46.2^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	1	7.7	4	30.8	2	15.4
Skin color
white	104	8	7.7	8	7.7	19	18.3	21	20.2
non white	43	5	11.6	5	11.6	15	34.9^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	8	18.6
Schooling (years)
0-7	91	8	8.8	10	1.0	24	26.4	25	27.5^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.
≥8	56	5	8.9	3	5.4	10	17.9	4	7.1
Prostitution (months)
0-60	99	4	4.0	7	7.1	17	17.2	16	16.2
≥61	48	9	18.8^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	6	12.5	17	35.4^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	13	27.1
Condom use
yes	63	4	6.3	4	6.3	14	22.2	13	20.6
no	84	9	10.7	9	10.7	20	23.8	16	19.0
Sexual intercourse/day
0-2	82	3	3.7	6	7.3	16	19.5	13	15.9
≥3	65	10	15.4^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	7	10.8	18	27.7	16	24.6
Anal sex
yes	42	8	19.0^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	5	11.9	10	23.8	10	23.8
no	105	5	4.8	8	7.6	24	22.9	19	18.1
History of STD
yes	80	8	10.0	7	8.8	16	20.0	19	23.8
no	67	5	7.5	6	9.0	18	26.9	10	14.9
Drug use
yes	83	10	12.0	7	8.4	18	21.7	15	18.1
no	64	3	4.7	6	9.4	16	25.0	14	21.9
Alcohol use
yes	123	8	6.5	9	7.3	28	22.8	22	17.9
no	24	5	20.8^* * p < 0.05; Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.	4	16.7	6	25.0	7	29.2

Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT Caixa Postal 118, 38001-970 Uberaba MG Brazil, Tel.: +55 34 3318-5255 / +55 34 3318-5636/ +55 34 3318-5287, http://rsbmt.org.br/ - Uberaba - MG - Brazil
E-mail: rsbmt@uftm.edu.br

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[1] Address to: Dra. Fabiana Schuelter-Trevisol. Av. José Acácio Moreira 787, Bairro Dehon, 88704-900 Tubarão, SC, Brasil. Phone: 55 48 3622-1442; 55 48 3631-7239. e-mail: fabiana.trevisol@unisul.br; fastrevisol@gmail.com