[Prevalence of viral hepatitis B in a group of prostitutes living in Chimbote (Peru)]. / Prevalencia de hepatitis viral B en un grupo de meretrices residentes en Chimbote (Perú).

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%.

Estudio de marcadores de Hepatitis B en meretrices registradas en el Hospital Regional Base Docente de Trujillo (Perú) / Study of hepatitis B markers in prostitudes registered in the Hospital Regional Base Docente de Trujillo (Perú)

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