Infection by hepatitis B and C virus in female and transsexual Greek prostitutes with serological evidence of active syphilis.

Two hundred and thirty female and 43 male-to-female transsexual Greek prostitutes were screened for serological evidence of active syphilis as judged by positivity in both rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and treponemal (FTA-ABS and TPHA) tests. The rate of active syphilis was 20.9% in the male-to-female transsexual prostitutes and 4.3% in the female ones (P < 0.001, odds ratio = 5.82). In the former group 65.1% had evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and 4.7% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection while the respective rates among the latter group were 50.4% and 3.9%. There was no correlation of viral hepatitis marker prevalence with positive syphilis serology.