Six hundred and ninety three male inmates from three penitentiaries, two (A and B) maximum-security systems and one (C) minimum-security facility, located in Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil were studied for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, using a cross-sectional design. The search for anti-HIV antibodies in 693 samples of sera collected was carried out by two serological tests: (a) the Microparticle enzyme immunoassay-HIV-1 and HIV-2 (MEIA) (Abbott Laboratories) and (b) the Western Blot-HIV-1 (WB) (Cambridge Biotech Corporation) to confirm positive results with MEIA. Sera reactivity for HIV antibodies was 14.4%. The highest frequency of anti-HIV antibodies was found in the A and B maximum-security prisons: 17% and 21.5%, respectively. In prison C, the frequency of reagents was 10.9%. Seventy three inmates, initially negative in the MEIA test, were checked again five and seven months later. Three of them, all from the maximum-security facilities, became reactive in the MEIA test, with confirmation in the WB, suggesting that serological conversion had occurred after imprisonment.

Alguns vírus das famílias Retroviridae, tais como, o Vírus do Linfoma Humano de Células T ( HTLV); Herpesviridae, tais como o Vírus Citomegálico (CMV) e da Hepatite B (HBV) podem ser co-transmitidos com o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (HIV). Uma vez que prisioneiros estão expostos a diversos fatores de risco envolvidos na transmissão do HIV e dos vírus acima mencionados, prisioneiros do sexo masculino do Complexo Penitenciário de Campinas, SP, Brasil, incluindo aqueles que eram HIV+ e HIV-, foram examinados para a presença de anticorpos anti- HTLV-I/II; anticorpos IgG e IgM anti-vírus citomegálico e a presença do antígeno de superfície do HBV (HbsAg). A presença de anti- HTLV-I/II foi determinada pela técnica de Western Blot, enquanto IgG e IgM anti-CMV e a pesquisa do HbsAg foram feitas por ensaio Imunoenzimático (MEIA-Abbott Lab). Com relação à pesquisa de anti-HTLV-I/II, 58,3% (14/24- número de positivos/número total de soros examinados) foram reagentes entre os soros HIV+. Contrariamente, apenas 12,5% (3/24) entre os soros HIV- mostraram reações positivas para anti- HTLV-I/II. Porcentagens de 97,7% (43/44) e 95% (38/40) foram obtidas, respectivamente para os soros anti-HIV+ e anti-HIV-, em relação à pesquisa de IgG anti-CMV. No que concerne à IgM anti-CMV 11,36% (5/44) e 2,5% (1/40) foram os achados para os soros anti-HIV+ e anti-HIV-, respectivamente. A presença do HbsAg foi encontrada em 12,8% (5/39) dos soros que eram HIV+.

Some viruses of the families Retroviridae, such as Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV); Herpesviridae as the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Hepadnaviridae such as the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) are liable to be co-transmitted with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Since prisoners are exposed to several and important risk factors involved in the transmission of HIV and the above mentioned viruses, male inmates from the penitentiary complex of Campinas, SP, Brazil, including HIV + and HIV - ones, were examined for the presence of HTLV-I and/or II antibodies; IgG and IgM anti-CMV antibodies, and the research of the superficial hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg). The presence of anti-HTLV-I and/or II was determined by the Western Blot (WB) technique, whereas IgG and IgM anti-CMV and the search of HBsAg were carried out by the Microparticle Enzyme Immunoassay (MEIA-Abbott Lab).With regard to anti-HTLV-I and/or II, 58.3% (14/24-Number of positive reactions/number of sera examined) were reactive among the anti-HIV positive sera. Conversely, only 12.5% (3/24) among the HIV- negative sera showed positive reactions to HTLV-I and/or II antibodies. When looking for IgG anti-CMV percentages of 97.7% (43/44) and 95% (38/40) were obtained for anti-HIV positive and negative sera, respectively. As to IgM anti-CMV antibodies 11.36% (5/44) and 2.5% (1/40) of reactive sera were found for anti-HIV positive and negative, respectively. The HBsAg was found in 12.8% (5/39) of the sera which were anti-HIV positive.