People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands.
BACKGROUND: Although published results are inconsistent, it has been suggested that tattooing and piercing are risk factors for HBV and HCV infections. To examine whether tattooing and piercing do indeed increase the risk of infection, we conducted a study among people with multiple tattoos and/or p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2011-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3173466?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818547597401391104 |
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| author | Anouk T Urbanus Anneke van den Hoek Albert Boonstra Robin van Houdt Lotte J de Bruijn Titia Heijman Roel A Coutinho Maria Prins |
| author_facet | Anouk T Urbanus Anneke van den Hoek Albert Boonstra Robin van Houdt Lotte J de Bruijn Titia Heijman Roel A Coutinho Maria Prins |
| author_sort | Anouk T Urbanus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND: Although published results are inconsistent, it has been suggested that tattooing and piercing are risk factors for HBV and HCV infections. To examine whether tattooing and piercing do indeed increase the risk of infection, we conducted a study among people with multiple tattoos and/or piercings in The Netherlands who acquired their tattoos and piercings in The Netherlands and/or abroad. METHODS: Tattoo artists, piercers, and people with multiple tattoos and/or piercings were recruited at tattoo conventions, shops (N = 182), and a biannual survey at our STI-outpatient clinic (N = 252) in Amsterdam. Participants were interviewed and tested for anti-HBc and anti-HCV. Determinants of HBV and HCV infections were analysed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The median number of tattoos and piercings was 5 (IQR 2-10) and 2 (IQR 2-4), respectively. Almost 40% acquired their tattoo of piercing abroad. In total, 18/434 (4.2%, 95%CI: 2.64%-6.46%) participants were anti-HBc positive and 1 was anti-HCV positive (0.2%, 95%CI: 0.01%-1.29%). Being anti-HBc positive was independently associated with older age (OR 1.68, 95%CI: 1.03-2.75 per 10 years older) and being born in an HBV-endemic country (OR 7.39, 95%CI: 2.77-19.7). Tattoo- and/or piercing-related variables, like having a tattoo or piercing in an HBV endemic country, surface percentage tattooed, number of tattoos and piercings etc., were not associated with either HBV or HCV. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence for an increased HBV/HCV seroprevalence among persons with multiple tattoos and/or piercings, which might be due to the introduction of hygiene guidelines for tattoo and piercing shops in combination with the low observed prevalence of HBV/HCV in the general population. Tattoos and/or piercings, therefore, should not be considered risk factors for HBV/HCV in the Dutch population. These findings imply the importance of implementation of hygiene guidelines in other countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:08:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-086b7b38f35649fdbe4f05d64b635daf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:08:52Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-086b7b38f35649fdbe4f05d64b635daf2022-12-22T00:31:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0169e2473610.1371/journal.pone.0024736People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands.Anouk T UrbanusAnneke van den HoekAlbert BoonstraRobin van HoudtLotte J de BruijnTitia HeijmanRoel A CoutinhoMaria PrinsBACKGROUND: Although published results are inconsistent, it has been suggested that tattooing and piercing are risk factors for HBV and HCV infections. To examine whether tattooing and piercing do indeed increase the risk of infection, we conducted a study among people with multiple tattoos and/or piercings in The Netherlands who acquired their tattoos and piercings in The Netherlands and/or abroad. METHODS: Tattoo artists, piercers, and people with multiple tattoos and/or piercings were recruited at tattoo conventions, shops (N = 182), and a biannual survey at our STI-outpatient clinic (N = 252) in Amsterdam. Participants were interviewed and tested for anti-HBc and anti-HCV. Determinants of HBV and HCV infections were analysed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The median number of tattoos and piercings was 5 (IQR 2-10) and 2 (IQR 2-4), respectively. Almost 40% acquired their tattoo of piercing abroad. In total, 18/434 (4.2%, 95%CI: 2.64%-6.46%) participants were anti-HBc positive and 1 was anti-HCV positive (0.2%, 95%CI: 0.01%-1.29%). Being anti-HBc positive was independently associated with older age (OR 1.68, 95%CI: 1.03-2.75 per 10 years older) and being born in an HBV-endemic country (OR 7.39, 95%CI: 2.77-19.7). Tattoo- and/or piercing-related variables, like having a tattoo or piercing in an HBV endemic country, surface percentage tattooed, number of tattoos and piercings etc., were not associated with either HBV or HCV. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence for an increased HBV/HCV seroprevalence among persons with multiple tattoos and/or piercings, which might be due to the introduction of hygiene guidelines for tattoo and piercing shops in combination with the low observed prevalence of HBV/HCV in the general population. Tattoos and/or piercings, therefore, should not be considered risk factors for HBV/HCV in the Dutch population. These findings imply the importance of implementation of hygiene guidelines in other countries.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3173466?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Anouk T Urbanus Anneke van den Hoek Albert Boonstra Robin van Houdt Lotte J de Bruijn Titia Heijman Roel A Coutinho Maria Prins People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. PLoS ONE |
| title | People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. |
| title_full | People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. |
| title_fullStr | People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. |
| title_full_unstemmed | People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. |
| title_short | People with multiple tattoos and/or piercings are not at increased risk for HBV or HCV in The Netherlands. |
| title_sort | people with multiple tattoos and or piercings are not at increased risk for hbv or hcv in the netherlands |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3173466?pdf=render |
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