Session:

Epidemiology & Public Health

Abstract No.:

53.049

Title:

Screening of prisoners for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and B (HBV) in Punjab Province, Pakistan, 2009

Author(s):

A. Pervaiz¹, T. Ghafoor², R. J. Asghar³; ¹Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Islamabad/PAKISTAN / Inspectorate of Prisons, Punjab Prisons, Lahore/PK, ²Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Islamabad/ PAKISTAN, Health, Islamabad/PK, ³Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, USA, Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Islamabad/PK

Abstract:

Background: The Chief Justice of Pakistan ordered screening of all prisoners across the country for HBV, HCV and HIV in April, 2009 due to the increased risk of infectious diseases in this population. This study therefore was conducted to assess the prevalence of these infections among prisoners in Punjab jails and develop control strategies.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in collaboration with District Health Quarters and Teaching hospitals to screen all consenting prisoners confined in 32 prisons of Punjab from May 2009 to July 2010.  HIV, HCV and HBV were tested by ELISA from serum samples.
Results: 16.64% of prisoners were positive for at least one of the infections. A total of 43,043 prisoners (consent rate: 86%) were screened for HIV, HCV and HBV. 97.4% were males. The mean age was 33 years for both males and females (range: 9 – 100 years). Among males, 5,487 (13.1%) were positive for HCV, 1,600 (3.8%) for HBV, and 336 (0.8%) for HIV. Among females, 178 (16%) were positive for HCV, 33 (3.1%) for HBV, and 11 (1%) for HIV.
Conclusion: Prevalence of HCV, HBV and HIV in prison population is substantially higher than the general population. Average annual turnover of Punjab prisons is 250,000 and this study estimated that approximately 41,600 prisoners infected with one of these diseases are being annually released without counseling and treatment. The National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, in 2011, based on the study findings then notified mandatory screening of each prisoner at the time of entry. Infected prisoners will not be able to donate blood, and contagious prisoners will be segregated until adequately treated.