Payesh (Jul 2008)
Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection among Iranian prisoners during 2001-2005
Abstract
Objective(s): To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection, as a blood borne viral infection, among prisoners and its associated factors in Iran.Methods: In this cross sectional study, 5317 inmates, who had stayed in prison for at least 3 months, were tested in 7 provinces from 2001 to 2005. The degree of contamination with HBV and its association with age and drug abuse were evaluated.Results: The frequency of contamination with HBV ranged from 1% to 15% in different prisons. Overall frequency was 6.7 % (95% CI: 6.1%-7.4%). The crude and adjusted association between HBV infection and age was studied. While adjusted for prisons. The result showed no significant association between age and HBV infection (P = 0.88) based on Mantel Heanszel test. However, there was a significant association between HBV infection and drug abuse in two out of seven prisons (where the data was available).Conclusion: The frequency of contamination with HBV infection is relatively high (more than twice) in prisons comparing to the general population (6.7% VS 2.8%). Planning regular screening, preventive practices such as vaccination against HBV in prisoners as well as easy access to therapeutic facilities are highly recommended.
