Seroprevalence of chlamydia trachomatis, hepatitis B and retroviruses in female STD patients and pregnant women in Jamaica - abstract

ABSTRACT

The seroprevalence of chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency nirus (HIV) and human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1 (HTLV-I) was investigated in a high-risk group, patients from a sexually transmitted diseases clinic and prostitutes, as well as a low-risk group, antenatal group. In the STD group 100 sera were tested. Seropositivity for Ct was 82 percent,for HBsAg 3 percent, HBcAb 23 percent, HIV-Ab 2 percent and HTLV-1 Ab 8 percent. Among the 76 prostitutes, the seropsitivity was even higher Ct 97 percent, HBsAg 8 percent, HBc,Ab 41 percent, HIV-Ab 9 percent and HTLV-1 Ab 17 percent. The antenatal women studied as a normal control population had lower levels Ct 52 percent, HBsAg 0.7 percent, HBcAb 9 percent, HIV-Ab 0.7 percent and HTLV-1 Ab 2.8 percent. It is noteworthy that the seroprevalence for all the STDs investigated was markedly higher in the promiscuous group. Although the level for Ct antibodies was in the antenatal women, even this group showed a high prevalence of this very commonly occurring STD. (AU)