ABSTRACT
We have studied HBV markers in 56 sera from 56 prostitutes who were registered to the Health Ministry Zonal Hospital of Chimbote on October, 1987. We used micro-Elisa solid phase technics to study the HBs Ag, HBs Ab, HBc Ab (Total IgG) and HBe Ag markers. From them, 89.3% were positive to any marker: 5.4% were asypmtomatic carriers and 83.9% had markers related to past HBV (immunity). In conclusion, this data shows clearly, that the prostitutes represent an important risk group for the transmission of the Hepatitis Type B virus to people who maintains sexual relations with them. The HBc Ab was the best marker to detect HBV antibodies, that did it in 95.7%.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Sex Work , Adolescent , Adult , Carrier State/epidemiology , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B e Antigens/analysis , Humans , Peru/epidemiology , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Se estudió serología para Hepatitis B (HBV) en 70 meretrices concurren al Hospital Regional Base Docente de Trujillo (costa norte del Perú). Se utilizó la técnica de microelisa de fase sólida para marcadores HBs-Ag, HBs-Ab, HBc-Ab y HBe-Ab. La prevalencia total fue de 51.5% siendo el 12.9% portadoras asintomáticas y el 2.9% portadoras con antigenemia "e", el rsto, 38.5% presentan marcador de antecedente pasado convalecientes o inmunes. Estas cifras nos demuestran claramente que la prostitución representa un posible foco importante de transmisión del virus de la Hepatitis B