INCIDENCES OF ANTIBODIES TO HEPATITIS-B, HERPES-SIMPLEX AND CYTOMEGALO-VIRUS IN PROSTITUTES

The 170 prostitutes registered by the local public health authority (165 female, 5 male; ages 17-61) were serologically investigated by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) complement fixation test for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers (n = 170), anti-CMV (cytomegalovirus) (n = 118) and anti-HSV 2 (herpes simplex virus type 2) antibodies (n = 117). Of these prostitutes, 4.7% (1.2%) were found to be HBs (hepatitis B surface) (HBe-)antigen carriers; 1.2% revealed an acute hepatitis B (seroconversion to anti-HBc (hepatitis B core antigen) or IgM-anti-HBc highly positive); 17.1% presented a past and resolved hepatitis B (anti-HBs positive). These rates exceeded those of 125 female age-matched control persons considerably, of whom only 2.4% (0.8%) presented HBs-(HBe-) antigen and 3.2% anti-HBs antibodies. Of the prostitutes investigated, 90% proved to be anti-CMV IgG (1.7% IgM) antibody positive and were compared to healthy blood donors (47% IgG, 0% IgM-anti-CMV antibody carriers) and other CMV risk groups: pregnant women 56 (13), patients in hemodialysis 61 (0), hemophiliac patients 69 (0), patients after kidney transplantation 90 (16) and after open-heart surgery 87 (4)% anti-CMV IgG (IgM) antibody carriers. An acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patient suffered from simultaneous HBV and CMV infections. The risk of HSV 2 infection among prostitutes (38.5% seropositives) is 5 times as high as among female age-matched control persons (7.2% seropositives, n = 125). These results confirm that prostitutes must be regarded as a risk for the spread of HBV, CMV- and HSV 2 diseases in the population.