Seroprevalence of antibodies against herpesvirus type 2 in a female prison population in Mato Grosso

The objective of this text is to describe the seroprevalence of antibodies against herpes simplex virus 2 in inmates of a female public prison in Mato Grosso. This is a cross-sectional study carried out with biobank data from a survey carried out with women deprived of liberty in a female penitentiary in Tangará da Serra - MT. Data collection was carried out through interviews with 50 women. To determine the seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection, serum samples were analyzed by ELISA in search of IgG antibodies at the Laboratory of Viral Immunology of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz – RJ. The HSV-2 seroprevalence found in the evaluated population was 80%, a value much higher than that reported in the general Brazilian population and in other studies with prison populations around the world. The profile of the inmates predominated among young, brown women, with low education, single and with low monthly income. The present study found a high seroprevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 in this population. These data provide important information that can assist in the implementation of effective actions that better prevent and control genital herpes, as well as other STIs in incarcerated populations.