Low Risk of Sexual Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus in Somalia

Abstract

The prevalence in Somalia of antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was determined in a survey of 236 female prostitutes, 80 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic patients, 79 male soldiers, and 43 tuberculosis patients. Of 98 (22%) serum samples repeatedly anti-HCV reactive by first and second generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, only 8 (1.8%) were anti-HCV positive by immunoblot assay (RIBA-2). Anti-HCV seropositivity by immunoblot assay was not associated with any risk group or with positive syphilis serology (found in 18% of subjects) or antibody to human immunodeficiency virus 1 (in 1. 4% of subjects). These data indicate that sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus is not common in Somalia among sexually active populations, including female prostitutes and other groups at high risk of STDs and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Sexually transmitted diseases, Viral hepatitis, Hepatitis C, Epidemiology, Serology.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA280333

Entities

People

  • Andrew L. Corwin
  • Douglas M. Watts
  • Kenneth C. Hyams
  • Mahmoud A. Omar

Organizations

  • Naval Medical Research Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
  • Antibodies
  • Availability
  • Biomedical Research
  • Blood
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Flaviviridae Infections
  • Hepatitis
  • Hiv Infections
  • Infection
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Medical Personnel
  • Navy
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases
  • Tropical Medicine
  • Viruses
  • Wound Infections

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology