Road flows and sexually transmitted infections: vulnerability to syphilis among truck drivers of the Bioceanic Route (BR-163, Campo Grande, MS)
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Keywords

Syphilis
Truck drivers
Bioceanic Capricorn Corridor
risky sexual behavior
rapid tests

How to Cite

MACHADO, Alessandra Aparecida Vieira; GRANDE, Antonio José; ANTERO, Leandro; LEMOS, Everton Ferreira. Road flows and sexually transmitted infections: vulnerability to syphilis among truck drivers of the Bioceanic Route (BR-163, Campo Grande, MS). Interações , Campo Grande, v. 27, n. 1, p. e27125134, 2026. DOI: 10.20435/inter.v27i1.5134. Disponível em: https://www.interacoes.ucdb.br/interacoes/article/view/5134. Acesso em: 18 jun. 2026.

Abstract

The Latin American Integration Route (RILA) intensifies logistical flows on BR-163, a corridor that concentrates truck drivers from multiple origins, with implications for the surveillance of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The objective of this research is to estimate the apparent prevalence of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B (HBsAg), and hepatitis C (anti-HCV) and to characterize risky sexual behavior among long-haul truck drivers on BR-163 (Campo Grande/MS). This is a prospective cross-sectional study with 179 truck drivers (30-74 years old) approached at rest points. Semi-structured questionnaires and rapid immunochromatographic tests for HIV, syphilis, HBsAg, and anti-HCV were applied. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to identify factors associated with condom use. The results indicated a predominance of males (91.3%) with low education. The prevalence of syphilis was 6.4% (95% CI: 3.5-10.7), while that of HIV, hepatitis B, and C was 0%. Condom use reached 27.1%; having a steady partner was associated with lower use (PR 0.061; 95% CI: 0.025–0.148; p<0.001). We conclude that, in the strategic corridor of Rila, the prevalence of syphilis and low condom use evidence vulnerability and support the need for combined prevention, testing at support points, and continuous surveillance along the route.

https://doi.org/10.20435/inter.v27i1.5134
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alessandra Aparecida Vieira Machado, Antonio José Grande, Leandro Antero, Everton Ferreira Lemos