[Infection with hepatitis C virus in a prison environment. A prospective study in Loos-lez-Lille, France].

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) markers, and risk factors of contamination in a prison population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eight hundred and six prisoners were prospectively included, at the moment of their imprisonment, between December 1st 1995 and May 31st 1996. Each prisoner was included in a group "drug abusers" or "non drug abusers" based on a clinical examination. Serum anti-HCV antibodies were tested in each group. Other risk factors were also analysed (type of drug abuse, share of syringes and needles, blood transfusion, haemodialysis, and hemophilia).

RESULTS

Among the 806 prisoners, 30.3% were anti-HCV positive. Four hundred and thirty nine prisoners (54.4%) were placed in the "drug abuser" group and 367 (45.5%) in the "non drug abuser" group. In the first group, 55.6% were anti-HCV positive (80% of the prisoners who were intravenous drug users and 10.8% for the others) and 4.2% were anti-HCV positive in the second group.

CONCLUSIONS

Half of the prisoners entering our center were drug abusers and half were anti-HCV antibody positive. HCV infection is a major public health problem in prison.