Sullivan, Richard P

Baird, Robert

Freeman, Kevin

Heggie, Hugh

Davis, Joshua S

Marshall, Catherine

Davies, Jane

2021-06-16

BACKGROUND: The demographic of Northern Territory prison population differs than elsewhere in Australia and the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C may therefore be somewhat different from other jurisdictions. There has been no study which has specifically described the serological results of a large proportion of prisoners in Northern Territory correctional facilities over an extended period of time. METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal study reviewed serological results and testing rates for hepatitis B, and hepatitis C performed in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia between July 1st, 2003 and June 30th, 2017. RESULTS: The proportion of positive records over 14 years for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 641/12,066 (5.3, 95% CI 4.9-5.7), for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) 4937/12,138 (40.1, 95%CI 39.8-41.6), for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) 6966/13,303 (52.4, 95% CI 51.5-53.2), and for hepatitis C antibody 569/12,153 (4.7, 95% CI 4.3-5.1). The proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C has decreased since 2015, while a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B. CONCLUSION: There is a relatively high proportion of positive serological markers of hepatitis B, and a lower proportion of positive hepatitis C serology in the Northern Territory's correctional facilities compared to overall Australian rates. As the proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and C has decreased recently, and a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B, there are opportunities to increase testing and vaccination rates in this population.

Charles Darwin University, Menzies School of Health Research, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia. richie.sullivan@menzies.edu.au.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia. richie.sullivan@menzies.edu.au.

Territory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia. richie.sullivan@menzies.edu.au.

St George & Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Kogarah, NSW, Australia. richie.sullivan@menzies.edu.au.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.

Territory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.

Northern Territory Department of Health, Northern Territory, Casuarina, Australia.

Charles Darwin University, Menzies School of Health Research, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.

John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia.

BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 16;21(1):584. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06286-2.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34134657/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/11794

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Viral hepatitis in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia 2003-2017.

Journal Article

Publication