Seroprevalence to Hepatitis B Virus among Prisoners Taking into Account Age, HIV Status, and Injection Drug Use

Abstract

Relevance. Prisoners have a high risk of contracting hemocontact viral infections (including HIV, viral hepatitis B and C, etc.), which creates an additional infectious burden on the entire population living in the territory. Aims. To study the level of immune protection to viral hepatitis B in risk groups (age, HIV status, and injection drug use) of persons held in places of detention to identify those in need of vaccine prophylaxis. Materials & Methods. 343 blood serum samples obtained in 2021 from males with negative HBsAg status were studied. Anti-HBs antibodies to HBsAg were determined using a set of reagents “VectoHBsAg-antibodies” (Vector-Best, Russia). Results and discussion. The protective titer of anti-HBs antibodies was detected in 44.0% (n = 151) of cases, and was absent in 56.0% of the subjects. At the same time, anti-HBs was significantly more often detected in people living with HIV/AIDS (p = 0.038), injecting drug users (p = 0.002), as well as young people born after 1984 (p = 0.019). Conclusion. The lack of a significant level of collective immunity among prisoners, primarily the older age group before 1984, their risky behaviors (sexual, injection) indicate the need for active identification of seronegative persons serving sentences in places of detention and specific immunoprophylaxis.

Keywords

• viral hepatitis b
• hiv infection
• hepatitis b virus
• injecting drug users
• prisoners
• seroprevalence
• immunization