Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil.
Vulnerable populations were disproportionally affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its peak periods disrupted progress toward the control and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with h...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325859 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849318394900250624 |
|---|---|
| author | Gabriel Francisco da Silva Filho Antoninho Barros Milhomem Bruno Vinícius Diniz E Silva Kamila Cardoso Dos Santos Grazielle Rosa da Costa E Silva Larissa Silva Magalhães Winny Éveny Alves Moura Thaynara Lorrane Silva Martins Wanessa de Oliveira Gonçalves Marcia Alves Dias Matos Roxana Isabel Cardozo Gonzales Leonora Rezende Pacheco Regina Maria Bringel Martins Karlla Antonieta Amorim Caetano Megmar Aparecida Dos Santos Carneiro Sheila Araújo Teles |
| author_facet | Gabriel Francisco da Silva Filho Antoninho Barros Milhomem Bruno Vinícius Diniz E Silva Kamila Cardoso Dos Santos Grazielle Rosa da Costa E Silva Larissa Silva Magalhães Winny Éveny Alves Moura Thaynara Lorrane Silva Martins Wanessa de Oliveira Gonçalves Marcia Alves Dias Matos Roxana Isabel Cardozo Gonzales Leonora Rezende Pacheco Regina Maria Bringel Martins Karlla Antonieta Amorim Caetano Megmar Aparecida Dos Santos Carneiro Sheila Araújo Teles |
| author_sort | Gabriel Francisco da Silva Filho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vulnerable populations were disproportionally affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its peak periods disrupted progress toward the control and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among socio-economically vulnerable populations during the COVID-2019 pandemic in Goiania, Central Brazil. A total of 627 individuals, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, homeless individuals, waste recyclable collectors, and immigrants/refugees, were tested for these infections. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with each outcome. HBV exposure markers were found in 16.1% of participants, antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV) in 1.9%, syphilis in 17.2%, and antibodies against HIV (anti-HIV) in 6.1%. Thirty-two individuals exhibited serological evidence of active syphilis, whereas HBV deoxyribonucleic acid and HCV ribonucleic acid were detected in six and two individuals, respectively. Increased age was statistically associated with HCV, HBV, and syphilis; identifying as LGBT and reporting a history of STIs was associated with syphilis and HIV. Illicit drug use was associated with HCV and HIV, whereas being an immigrant/refugee or engaging in transactional sex was linked to HBV. Homelessness and reporting a higher number of sexual partners in the previous month were associated with syphilis. High prevalence rates of these infections were identified, with many participants showing evidence of active infections, increasing the risk of transmission. Specific risk behaviors were associated with each infection, emphasizing the need to tailor prevention strategies to address these behaviors effectively. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8bf67013d95e4506b1f840da47f93c1e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-8bf67013d95e4506b1f840da47f93c1e2025-08-20T03:50:50ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01207e032585910.1371/journal.pone.0325859Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil.Gabriel Francisco da Silva FilhoAntoninho Barros MilhomemBruno Vinícius Diniz E SilvaKamila Cardoso Dos SantosGrazielle Rosa da Costa E SilvaLarissa Silva MagalhãesWinny Éveny Alves MouraThaynara Lorrane Silva MartinsWanessa de Oliveira GonçalvesMarcia Alves Dias MatosRoxana Isabel Cardozo GonzalesLeonora Rezende PachecoRegina Maria Bringel MartinsKarlla Antonieta Amorim CaetanoMegmar Aparecida Dos Santos CarneiroSheila Araújo TelesVulnerable populations were disproportionally affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its peak periods disrupted progress toward the control and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among socio-economically vulnerable populations during the COVID-2019 pandemic in Goiania, Central Brazil. A total of 627 individuals, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, homeless individuals, waste recyclable collectors, and immigrants/refugees, were tested for these infections. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with each outcome. HBV exposure markers were found in 16.1% of participants, antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV) in 1.9%, syphilis in 17.2%, and antibodies against HIV (anti-HIV) in 6.1%. Thirty-two individuals exhibited serological evidence of active syphilis, whereas HBV deoxyribonucleic acid and HCV ribonucleic acid were detected in six and two individuals, respectively. Increased age was statistically associated with HCV, HBV, and syphilis; identifying as LGBT and reporting a history of STIs was associated with syphilis and HIV. Illicit drug use was associated with HCV and HIV, whereas being an immigrant/refugee or engaging in transactional sex was linked to HBV. Homelessness and reporting a higher number of sexual partners in the previous month were associated with syphilis. High prevalence rates of these infections were identified, with many participants showing evidence of active infections, increasing the risk of transmission. Specific risk behaviors were associated with each infection, emphasizing the need to tailor prevention strategies to address these behaviors effectively.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325859 |
| spellingShingle | Gabriel Francisco da Silva Filho Antoninho Barros Milhomem Bruno Vinícius Diniz E Silva Kamila Cardoso Dos Santos Grazielle Rosa da Costa E Silva Larissa Silva Magalhães Winny Éveny Alves Moura Thaynara Lorrane Silva Martins Wanessa de Oliveira Gonçalves Marcia Alves Dias Matos Roxana Isabel Cardozo Gonzales Leonora Rezende Pacheco Regina Maria Bringel Martins Karlla Antonieta Amorim Caetano Megmar Aparecida Dos Santos Carneiro Sheila Araújo Teles Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. PLoS ONE |
| title | Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. |
| title_full | Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. |
| title_fullStr | Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. |
| title_short | Taking the opportunity of COVID testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in Central Brazil. |
| title_sort | taking the opportunity of covid testing to screen vulnerable populations for hepatitis b hepatitis c syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus in central brazil |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325859 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gabrielfranciscodasilvafilho takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT antoninhobarrosmilhomem takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT brunoviniciusdinizesilva takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT kamilacardosodossantos takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT graziellerosadacostaesilva takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT larissasilvamagalhaes takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT winnyevenyalvesmoura takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT thaynaralorranesilvamartins takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT wanessadeoliveiragoncalves takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT marciaalvesdiasmatos takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT roxanaisabelcardozogonzales takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT leonorarezendepacheco takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT reginamariabringelmartins takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT karllaantonietaamorimcaetano takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT megmaraparecidadossantoscarneiro takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil AT sheilaaraujoteles takingtheopportunityofcovidtestingtoscreenvulnerablepopulationsforhepatitisbhepatitiscsyphilisandhumanimmunodeficiencyvirusincentralbrazil |