INFECTION BY THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-V IRUS TYPE-1 IN THE PRISON POPULATION IN CATALONIA

BACKGROUND: The prison population represents a high risk group for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. The present study was carried out to know the prevalence of infection in this collective in three penitentiary centers in Catalonia. METHODS: All the subjects who were in or who were admitted to the three penitentiaries for men from October 1987 to April 1988 were included in the study (n = 1,579). De mographic risk factor and penitentiary variables were obtained. The de termination of anti-HIV-1 antibodies was performed by enzymoimmunoanal ysis (Dupont HIV ELISA). RESULTS: The global prevalence of HIV-1 infec tion was of 40.6 %. Significant statistical differences were found amo ng intravenous drug users (IVDU) and non IVDU (chi2 = 376.8,, p < 0.00 01, OR = 9.6, CI 95 % = 7.5 - 12.3) and between habitual and sporadic users (chi2 = 23.9, p < 0.0001, OR = 3.0, CI 95 % = 1.9 - 4.7). CONCLU SIONS: The penitentiary population in Catalonia is a collective with a high prevalence of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, with intravenous drug use being the fundamental factor associated to this prevalence.