Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies and Hepatitis B Antigen Among Commercial Sex Workers in Japan

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and of hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen in commercial sex workers (CSW) who attended a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic in Tokyo. METHODS Surveys were conducted on 308 CSW and 384 control subjects for HIV antibody or 241 control subjects for HBs antibody and antigen and HCV antibody. RESULTS HIV antibody was not detected in either CSW or control subjects. The positive rates for HBs antigen and antibody were 0.6 and 23.4%, respectively, in the CSW group, and 0.4 and 71.8% in the control group. The HCV antibody positive rate was 3.2% in the CSW group and 0.4% in the control group. CONCLUSION A statistically significant difference between the two groups was observed only in HCV antibody positive rate. STD checkup for CSW alone is inadequate--STD health education and screening for the general public are also required.