Dm. Watts et al., LOW-RISK OF SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN SOMALIA, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 88(1), 1994, pp. 55-56
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath","Tropical Medicine
The prevalence in Somalia of antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)
was determined in a survey of 236 female prostitutes, 80 sexually tran
smitted disease (STD) clinic patients, 79 male soldiers, and 43 tuberc
ulosis patients. Of 98 (22%) serum samples repeatedly anti-HCV reactiv
e by first and second generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit
s, only 8 (1.8%) were anti-HCV positive by immunoblot assay (RIBA-2).
Anti-HCV seropositivity by immunoblot assay was not associated with an
y risk group or with positive syphilis serology (found in 18% of subje
cts) or antibody to human immunodeficiency virus 1 (in 1.4% of subject
s). These data indicate that sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus
is not common in Somalia among sexually active populations, including
female prostitutes and other groups at high risk of STDs and the acqui
red immune deficiency syndrome.