HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN A PENITENTIARY POPUL ATION

Aim: To know the prevalence of anti-VHC in the Valencia Male Penitenti ary Centre. Design: A prospective study in which a representative samp le of the inmates is included. In each case the anti-VHC and the ALT a re studied. Serological results were correlated with history of intrav enous drug addiction, alcohol abuse and duration and number of internm ents. inmates: 750 inmates are included; they represent 41% of the peo ple interned in this Centre during 1991. Results: A high prevalence (4 5%) of the serological marker for VHC infection was observed. The prev alence of anti-VHC+ among the drug addict inmates is around 90% and th is situation was already found during the first year of drug addiction . Among non-drug addict inmates the prevalence is 14%. Hepatitis C vir us infection has a correlation with the duration and number of interme nts; 75% of the inmates with high ALT values have anti-VHC+. Conclusio ns: Nearly half of the inmates are infected with hepatitis C virus. Th e drug addict inmates are infected during the first year of their habi t. The majority of the inmates with elevated ALT has antiVHC +.