OBJECTIVE To estimate the seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis and to describe risk behaviors associated to their transmission among recyclable waste collectors. METHODS A seroepidemiological survey was carried out in the city of Santos, Southeastern Brazil, in 2005. A total of 315 individuals were enrolled in the survey, of which 253 subjects underwent serological testing HI...

BACKGROUND Homelessness, HIV, and substance use are interwoven problems. Furthermore, homeless individuals are frequent users of emergency services. The main purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for frequent emergency room (ER) visits and to examine the effects of housing status and HIV serostatus on ER utilization. The second purpose was to identify risk factors for frequent ER v...

Serological, epidemiological and molecular aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were evaluated in 183 subjects from Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, and adjacent areas. Serum samples which tested anti-HCV positive by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) obtained from eight patients with chronic hepatitis C, 48 blood donors, and 127 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HI...

patients and methods 720 cases including 120 patients undergoing hemodialysis, and 600 patients with hiv infection were studied. all cases with positive results for hbsag were evaluated for the presence of anti-hdv antibodies. samples with anti-hdv positive results were subjected to nested pcr for hdv-rna confirmation, and sequenced for hdv genotype determination. results hbsag was found in 9 (...

UNLABELLED Background The characteristics associated with incident hepatitis B (HBV) infection in HIV-positive individuals are not well described in the Australian setting. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of and risk factors for HBV infection within HIV-infected individuals in a Melbourne cohort between 1985 and 2011. METHODS Individuals susceptible to HBV at their H...

BACKGROUND HIV-monoinfected patients may be at risk for significant liver fibrosis, but its prevalence and determinants in these patients are unknown. Since HIV-monoinfected patients do not routinely undergo liver biopsy, we evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of significant hepatic fibrosis in this group using the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI). METHODS...

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen, hepatitis C virus, and HIV in entrants to Irish prisons and to examine risk factors for infection. DESIGN Cross sectional, anonymous survey, with self completed risk factor questionnaire and oral fluid specimen for antibody testing. SETTING Five of seven committal prisons in the Republic of Ireland. PARTICIP...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Information on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in pregnant women in India is scanty. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of HCV within an obstetric population in north India and to identify the various risk factors for the viral infection. METHODS A total of 8130 pregnant women from antenatal clinic were subjected to anti-HCV testing by third gene...

Risk of bone fractures in patients with HIV infection is greater than in the general population, particularly in those co-infected with hepatitis viruses. We compared bone mineral density (BMD) and muscular strength, measured by hand grip test (HG), in HIV mono-infected and co-infected patients. T-score values were lower in HIV patients co-infected with hepatitis viruses vs. mono-infected indiv...