en Microbiology Microbiology Original Article Original Article <span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Background</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> Female sex workers (FSWs) in most societies run a high risk of health problems, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as viral infections and syphilis. The present study examines the prevalence of viral infections and syphilis among FSWs.</span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Methods:</span></i></b> This cross-sectional study recruited 100 female sex workers (April 2019 to April 2020) who visited the Counseling Center for Behavioral Diseases or were selected via purposeful (snowball) sampling. A questionnaire (demographic information and STI risk factors) was completed in a face-to-face interview with the participants. Blood samples were then taken to test the markers for HBV, HCV Ab, HIV Ab, Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) for syphilis and a PCR was taken to test for HPV (in vaginal sex workers from the cervix and anal sex workers from the anal region). The data were analyzed in Stata 14.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Results:</span></i></b> Among 100 FSWs, 6 (6%) were infected with HIV, 1 (1%) with hepatitis B, and 2 (2%) were anti-HCV positive. 1 (1%) participant was suspected of having syphilis. Based on the PCR tests, 16 (16%) participants were infected with HPV. Moreover, 68 (68%) FSWs reported having unprotected sex.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:14pt"><b><i><span style="color:blue">Conclusion</span></i></b><i><span style="color:blue">:</span></i> Due to the prevalence of viral infections and syphilis and unprotected sex in FSWs, immediate preventive measures are critical for this vulnerable group to control the transmission of these viral infections in society.<span style="font-size:10.0pt"></span></span></span></span> Prevalence, Female sex workers, HIV, Sexually transmitted infection, Iran 38 45 http://caspjim.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-3049-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Somaye Mafakheri Bashmaq somayemafakheri.ba@gmail.com 100319475328460046463 100319475328460046463 No Student Reaserch Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Amjad Ahmadi microbiology90@gmail.com 100319475328460046464 100319475328460046464 No Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Behzad Mohsenpour behzadmohsenpour@gmail.com 100319475328460046465 100319475328460046465 No Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Khaled Rahmani khakedrahmani@gmail.com 100319475328460046466 100319475328460046466 No Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Liver and Digestive Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Modabber Arasteh m.arasteh@yahoo.com 100319475328460046467 100319475328460046467 No Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Narges Shams Alizadeh n.alizadeh@yahoo.com 100319475328460046468 100319475328460046468 No Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Asrin Babahajian ababahajian63@gmail.com 100319475328460046469 100319475328460046469 No Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Shoaib Advay sh.advay@gmail.com 100319475328460046470 100319475328460046470 No Medical Laboratory, Kausar Hospital, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. Asefeh Abbaszadeh amjadahmadi1364@gmail.com 100319475328460046471 100319475328460046471 Yes Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran