Decrease in hepatitis B prevalence among blood donors in Central-West Brazil

The aim of the present study was to estimate hepatitis B virus seroprevalence among first-time blood donors in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in the central-western region of Brazil. Findings A retrospective analysis of first-time voluntary blood donor records, from January 2010 to December 2010, was conducted at the Hematology Center of Mato Grosso do Sul. The prevalence of the HBsAg and anti-HBc serological markers and their respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Chi-square analysis was performed between the seroprevalence previously found in 2001 and the one determined by the current study. Results were considered statistically significant if p< 0.05. Among 8,840 subjects, 269 (3.04%, 95% CI: 2.7-3.4) were positive for HBV markers. The prevalence rate of HBsAg was 0.19% (95% CI: 0.1-0.3) and anti-HBc alone was 2.85% (95% CI: 2.5-3.2). Conclusions There was no statistically significant difference regarding gender. However, an important association was observed between HBV infection and older age (p< 0.01). The seroprevalence of HBV infection in first-time blood donors diminished from 2001 to 2010 (p< 0.01). Such decrease suggests an improvement in the recruitment of safe donors, the positive impact of vaccination programs and the decreasing of HBV infection prevalence in the general population.

Decrease in hepatitis B prevalence among blood donors in Central-West Brazil

Background: The aim of the present study was to estimate hepatitis B virus seroprevalence among first-time blood donors in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in the central-western region of Brazil. Findings: A retrospective analysis of first-time voluntary blood donor records, from January 2010 to December 2010, was conducted at the Hematology Center of Mato Grosso do Sul. The prevalence of the HBsAg and anti-HBc serological markers and their respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Chi-square analysis was performed between the seroprevalence previously found in 2001 and the one determined by the current study. Results were considered statistically significant if p < 0.05. Among 8,840 subjects, 269 (3.04%, 95% CI: 2.7-3.4) were positive for HBV markers. The prevalence rate of HBsAg was 0.19% (95% CI: 0.1-0.3) and anti-HBc alone was 2.85% (95% CI: 2.5-3.2). Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference regarding gender. However, an important association was observed between HBV infection and older age (p < 0.01). The seroprevalence of HBV infection in first-time blood donors diminished from 2001 to 2010 (p < 0.01). Such decrease suggests an improvement in the recruitment of safe donors, the positive impact of vaccination programs and the decreasing of HBV infection prevalence in the general population.

Clinical and epidemiological features of 123 cases of cryptococcosis in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

To identify the clinical and epidemiological profile of cryptococcosis diagnosed at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, medical records of 123 patients admitted from January 1995 to December 2005 were analyzed. One hundred and four cases (84.5 percent) had HIV infection, six (4.9 percent) had other predisposing conditions and 13 (10.6 percent) were immunocompetent. Male patients predominated (68.3 percent) and their age ranged from 19 to 69 years (mean: 35.9). Most patients (73.2 percent) were born and lived lifelong in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Involvement of the central nervous system occurred in 103 patients (83.7 percent) and headache and vomiting were the most frequent symptoms. In 77 cases it was possible to identify the Cryptococcus species: 69 (89.6 percent) C. neoformans and eight (10.4 percent) C. gattii. Amphotericin B was the drug of choice for treatment (106/123), followed by fluconazole in 60 percent of cases. The overall lethality rate was 49.6 percent, being 51 percent among the HIV infected patients and 41.2 percent among the non-HIV infected (p > 0.05). Although cryptococcosis exhibited in our region a similar behavior to that described in the literature, the detection of an important rate of immunocompetent individuals and five C. gattii cryptococcosis in HIV-infected patients is noteworthy.

O perfil clínico-epidemiológico de 123 casos de criptococose diagnosticados no Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, no período de janeiro de 1995 até dezembro de 2005, foi estudado retrospectivamente. Cento e quatro (84,9 por cento) casos tinham associação com HIV, seis (4,9 por cento) tinham outra condição predisponente e 13 (10,6 por cento) eram imunocompetentes. Houve predomínio do sexo masculino (68,3 por cento) e a idade variou de 19 a 69 anos (média de 35,9 anos). A maioria (73,2 por cento) era natural e procedente de Mato Grosso do Sul. O envolvimento do sistema nervoso central ocorreu em 103 (83,7 por cento) pacientes e os sintomas mais freqüentes foram cefaléia e vômitos. Em 77 casos foi possível identificar a espécie do agente, sendo 69 (89,6 por cento) C. neoformans e oito (10,4 por cento) C. gattii. O antifúngico mais utilizado foi anfotericina B (106/123) seguido de fluconazol em aproximadamente 60 por cento dos casos. A taxa de letalidade foi de 49,6 por cento, sendo 51 por cento entre os pacientes infectados pelo HIV e 41,2 por cento entre os não infectados pelo HIV (p > 0,005). Apesar da criptococose observada em nossa região apresentar comportamento semelhante ao descrito na literatura, chama a atenção a importante taxa da micose em imunocompetentes e cinco casos de infecção por C. gattii em pacientes HIV-positivos.