Viral hepatitis and syphilis prevalence in persons who performed premarital blood tests in Argentina

ANGELERI P; SOLARI J; ADASZKO A; LEVITE V; CUELLO H; CORONEL E; PANDO MA; MOYANO C; MOLFESE V; VIDIELLA G; FALISTOCCO C; ADASZKO D; BOUCHET D; SKARZAUSKAS R

Ciudad de Mexico

Congreso; HIV & Hepatitis in the Americas 2016; 2016

IAS

Introduction: Viral hepatitis and syphilis are important public healthissues on which Argentina has no prevalence data in the generalpopulation. Prevalence studies are fundamental pillars to developstrategies for their control, contributing with knowledge about theneeds for prevention, testing and treatment.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was designed with acluster sampling strategy. People who attended health services inoccasion of their premarital exams (which includes screening forsyphilis) took part in the study by filling in a form and being testedfor viral hepatitis. The recruitment was carried out in Buenos Aires,Greater Cordoba, Rý´o Cuarto, Greater Mendoza, Greater Santa Fe andRosario between September 2013 and October 2014.Results: A total of 3,835 persons participated in the study out ofwhich 1,922 (50.6%) were women and 1,909 were men (49.4%).The estimated syphilis prevalence was 0.74% (95% CI: 0.47-1.01),finding statistically significant difference between the area where themarriages were going to take place and the educational level (lowereducational level, higher prevalence). The estimated prevalence forhepatitis A was 63.9% (95% CI: 62.4-65.5) with differences regardingage (the older, the higher the prevalence), province of birth,educational level (lower educational level, higher prevalence), housingtype (most prevalent in people with deficient housing) and healthinsurance (more prevalent in people with no health insurance).For hepatitis B, the estimated prevalence found for HBsAg was 0.26%(95% CI: 0.100.42) and 2% (95% CI 1.562.44) for anti-HBc. Finally,the estimated prevalence of hepatitis C found was 0.26% (95% CI:0.10-0.43). The only statistically significant difference found wasconnected to province of birth and place of residence.Conclusions: The results are consistent with the findings in otherstudies and national publications. Despite differences in this populationfrom the general population, the results found are a first steptowards grasping the impact of viral hepatitis and syphilis on theyoung adult population of Argentina.