Sexually transmitted viral infections in various population groups in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Abstract

SUMMARY The prevalence of serum antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) and of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers was investigated in different population groups, including prostitutes, in Mogadishu, Somalia. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in 37% of pregnant women, 4% of neonates, 22% of educated women, and 20% of prostitutes. No significant difference between the groups was observed for HBV. In contrast to figures reported from South East Asia, the prevalence of hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) was 18% in prostitutes and only 3% in all other HBsAg positive subjects.The prevalence of antibodies to HSV (100%) and CMV (90%) was very high, but antibodies against HIV were not detected in any of 471 sera. As the routes of transmission for HBV and HIV infections are considered to be similar, HIV will probably spread rapidly in Somalia once this virus has been introduced into the country. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), earlier named LAV/HTLV-III, probably has an important role inAfrica as causing a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but information is only available from a limited number of populations and countries.' Other viral infections that have been associated with sexual transmission are hepatitis B (HBV), herpes simplex type 2 (HSV 2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human papillomavirus (HPV).The prevalence of HBV infections in a society is proportional to the extent of the infectious reservoir and to the routes and possibilities of transmission. The prevalence of HBV carriers varies in different parts of the world and is much higher in developing countries (5% to 20%) than in the developed world (0.1 to 0.6%).2 CMV and HSV are ubiquitous, and HSV 2 causes an STD with an increasing impact in developed countries. The isolation of CMV from semen and cervical Address for reprints: Mr Hinda

Hepatitis B among female sex workers in Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo, Brazil

“…The prevalence of infection detected among Ribeirão Preto female SWs proved to be lower than those reported in different parts of the world, such as China 13 , Peru 14 , Malaysia 15 , Greece 16 , and Somalia 17 . On the other hand, reduced prevalences similar to those obtained in Ribeirão Preto have been reported in studies conducted in Mexico, in which the possible explanations for the results included the absence of use of illegal injecting drugs, the infrequent practice of anal sex, the use of condoms, and the relative rarity of infec- *increase in risk for every year of life/*risco aumenta para cada ano de vida tion in the general population 18,19 .…”

Hepatitis B and C virus infections among pregnant women in Arab and African countries

“…This region is characterized by being one of the most politically unstable areas, where conflicts tend not to cease. HBV prevalence among pregnant women in the region mimics the epidemiology among the general population, and most countries fall in the moderate endemic zone apart from Somalia, where a high prevalence (37%) was reported in 1987 [65][66][67][68][69][70][71]. Therefore it is clear that there is lack of information in this area.…”

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare workers towards Hepatitis B virus infection in Mogadishu, Somalia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…High prevalence of HBV infection was reported from various parts of Africa among different population groups [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Although there were some reports on the prevalence of HBV in Somalia in the past [14][15][16][17][18] there is limited recent literature on the prevalence of HBV infection in Somalia. The country is among the endemic areas with high prevalence of HBV infection [19].…”