AIM:To determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence and its genotypes,and to identify the factors associated with HCV infection.METHODS:This cross-sectional study,conducted in two prisons (one male and one female) in the State of Sergipe,Brazil,comprised 422 subjects.All of the prisoners underwent a rapid test for the detection of HCV antibodies.Patients with a positive result were tested for antiHCV by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and for HCV RNA by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The virus genotype was defined in every serum sample that presented positive for PCR-HCV.In order to determine the factors independently associated with positive serology for HCV,multivariate logistic regression was used.RESULTS:HCV seroprevalence was 3.1%.Of the 13 subjects with positive anti-HCV,11 had viremia confirmed by PCR.Of these,90.9% had genotype 1.A total of 43 (10.2%) were injecting drug users,and HCV seroprevalence in this subgroup was 20.6%.The variable most strongly associated with positive serology for HCV was use of injecting drugs [odds ratio (OR),23.3;95% confidence interval (CI),6.0-90.8].Age over 30 years (OR,5.5;95%CI,1.1-29.2),history of syphilis (OR,9.8;95%CI,1.7-55.2) and history of household contact with HCV positive individual (OR,14.1;95%CI,2.3-85.4) were also independently associated with HCV infection.CONCLUSION:Most of the HCV transmissions result from parenteral exposure.However,there is evidence to suggest a role for sex and household contact with an infected subject in virus transmission. AIM: To determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence and its genotypes, and to identify the factors associated with HCV infection. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted in two prisons (one male and one female) in the State of Sergipe, Brazil, comprised of 422 subjects. All of the prisoners underwent a rapid test for the detection of HCV antibodies. Patients with a positive result were tested for anti HCV by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and for HCV RNA by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The virus genotype was defined in every serum sample that presented positive for PCR- HCV. order to determine the factors independently associated with positive serology for HCV, multivariate logistic regression was used .RESULTS: HCV seroprevalence was 3.1% .Of the 13 subjects with positive anti -HCV, 11 had viremia by PCR. Of these, 90.9% had genotype 1. A total of 43 (10.2%) were injected into drug users, and HCV seroprevalence in this subgroup was 20.6%. The variable most strongly associ ated with positive serology for HCV was use of injecting drugs [odds ratio (OR), 23.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 6.0-90.8] , history of household contact with HCV positive individual (OR, 14.1; 95% CI, 2.3-85.4) were also independently associated with HCV infection. CONCLUSION: Most of the HCV transmissions result from parenteral exposure. Host, there is evidence to suggest a role for sex and household contact with an infected subject in virus transmission.