Maria João Novais, researcher at the Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), was awarded the prize for Best Oral Communication at the 13th Update Conference on Infectious Diseases of the Curry Cabral Hospital – CHULC, which was held on 24 and 25 February, in Lisbon.
The prize was awarded to the work Association between region of birth and proportion of reactive HIV, HCV, HBV and syphilis tests among users of community-based centres in Lisbon Metropolitan area, which aimed to analyse the association between the place of birth of users of five community-based centres in the Greater Lisbon area, with the proportion of reactive tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, or Syphilis. These centre users had no history of prior infection.
The study awarded at the infectious diseases conference, whose first author is Maria João Novais, concluded that migrant users of these centres (which are part of a screening network operated by GAT – Treatment Activists Group) who were born in Brazil, Latin America, the Caribbean, African countries, Asia, Middle East, and Oceania presented a higher risk of HIV and Syphilis infection.
The population born in African countries presented a higher risk for Hepatitis B infection, while the Portuguese population showed a higher risk of Hepatitis C infection.
The study, coordinated by Paula Meireles, a researcher at ISPUP, also included the participation of Rosa Freitas, Miguel Rocha and Luís Mendão, members of GAT.
