Author(s): Felipetto, Laís Giuliani ; Teider-Junior, Pedro Irineu ; da Silva, Felipe Fortino Verdan ; Couto, Anahi Chechia do ; Kmetiuk, Louise Bach ; Martins, Camila Marinelli ; Ullmann, Leila Sabrina [UNESP] ; Timenetsky, Jorge ; Santos, Andrea Pires dos ; Biondo, Alexander Welker
Date: 2022
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/11449/222213
Origin: Oasisbr
Subject(s): HCV; HIV; Homeless; Syphilis; Vulnerability
Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:43:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-07-01
Universidade Federal do Paraná
Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Isfahan University of Technology
Purdue University
Homeless persons have been considered as one of the most susceptible populations to sexually transmitted infections. In Brazil, these population experienced an increase of 140% from 2012 to 2020. Accordingly, the present study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-Treponema pallidum, anti-HCV, anti-HIV antibodies, and the risk factors associated with homeless persons in a daytime attendance shelter of São Paulo city during the syphilis epidemic in Brazil. Blood samples of 116 volunteers and epidemiological data were conveniently collected in the shelter from June through August 2018. Detection of syphilis, HCV, and HIV antibodies was performed by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). CMIA-reagent samples for anti-T. pallidum antibodies were confirmed by Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) non-treponemal test. VDRL non-reagent samples were confirmed by treponemal rapid immunochromatographic test. A rapid immunoblot assay confirmed seropositivity to HIV. Overall, anti-T. pallidum antibodies were observed in 29/116 (25.0%), anti-HCV antibodies in 4/116 (3.4%), and anti-HIV antibodies in 2/116 (1.7%) individuals, both co-infected with anti-T. pallidum antibodies. Associated risk factors for syphilis in homeless persons were being born or previously living in another city (p = 0.043) and becoming homeless due to family conflicts (p = 0.035). Besides homeless vulnerability, worldwide shortage of benzathine penicillin supply and increasing of syphilis testing access through rapid testing in primary health care services may have also impacted disease spreading at the time. The prevalence of syphilis found herein is the highest worldwide to date in this population.
Federal University of Paraná Department of Veterinary Medicine College of Veterinary Science
Federal University of Paraná Clinics Hospital Clinical Analysis Laboratory Unit
Federal University of Paraná Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology College of Cellular and Molecular Biology
State University of Ponta Grossa Department of Nursing and Public Health
São Paulo State University Institute of Biotechnology, Botucatu
University of São Paulo Department of Medical Microbiology
Purdue University Department of Comparative Pathobiology
Federal University of Paraná Department of Veterinary Medicine Brazil
São Paulo State University Institute of Biotechnology, Botucatu
