RESUMO
The paper presents the results of the research and a comparative analysis of findings on key indicators for the study population. The study instrument was a standardized behavior study questionnaire provided in the Family Health International published manual (Family Health International, 2000). The target group was female sex workers working in Tirana. The prevalence of biological infections was low. HIV was detected in one case. Syphilis and Hepatitis B rates resulted to be respectively 6.5% and 7.6%. The median age of the study participants is 28 years. Almost 38% of the participants were illiterate, and more than half belong to the Roma community. Almost 50% of the respondents had received money in exchange of sex for the first time 18 years earlier. Almost 65% of respondents reported two or more different sex partners in the last seven days, while almost 30% referred five or more. Condom use at last sex with a paying client was reported by almost 68%. Consistent condom use with paying clients in the last month was reported by almost 35% of the respondents.
Assuntos
Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , HIV , Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Trabalho Sexual , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/epidemiologia , Sífilis/epidemiologia , Adulto , Albânia/epidemiologia , Preservativos/estatística & dados numéricos , Intervalos de Confiança , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/transmissão , Infecções por HIV/virologia , Hepatite B/transmissão , Hepatite B/virologia , Humanos , Fatores de Risco , Trabalho Sexual/estatística & dados numéricos , Comportamento Sexual/estatística & dados numéricos , Parceiros Sexuais , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/microbiologia , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/transmissão , Inquéritos e Questionários , Sífilis/microbiologia , Sífilis/transmissão , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Little information is available on circulating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) subtypes and resistance to antiretroviral drugs in Albania. To fill this gap, we studied 72 plasma samples from HIV-infected individuals from throughout the country. Subtype classification and genotypic resistance analysis were performed on the HIV pol gene region. The analysis was successfully performed on 66 (91.6%) plasma samples and showed that 43 (65.2%) strains were non-B subtypes (mostly subtype A, as determined by analysis of pol gene sequences). No major mutations in the protease gene were found, whereas analysis of the reverse transcriptase gene revealed a few major mutations associated with resistance. In conclusion, non-B subtypes are predominant in Albania, and the prevalence of resistance to antiretroviral drugs is still low.
