Infection par le virus de l'hépatite C en milieu carcéral. Etude prospective réalisée à Loos-lez-Lille

FRANÇAIS :
Cette étude épidémiologique avait pour but d'apprécier la prévalence des marqueurs du virus de l'hépatite C et les facteurs de risque de contamination dans une population carcérale. Au total, 30,3% des 806 détenus avaient une sérologie C positive. Parmi les 439 détenus du groupe "Toxicomanes", 55,6% étaient séropositifs: parmi les sujets ayant un antécédent de toxicomanie intraveineuse, 80% étaient séropositifs contre 10,8% chez les autres toxicomanes. Dans le groupe "non-toxicomanes", 4,2% étaient séropositifs. L'hépatite C en milieu carcéral pose un vrai problème de santé publique. (Résumé de la revue)
ENGLISH :
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 haemophilia). 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. (Review' s abstract)