Hepatitis C virus prevalence among an immigrant community to the Southern Amazon, Brazil
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
94(6): 719-23, Nov.-Dec. 1999. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-251329
ABSTRACT
A community-based random survey was conducted in a southern Brazilian Amazonian county aiming to investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence and the association of demographic variables and lifestyle behaviours. Seven hundred eighty individuals were serologically screened with a third generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect anti-HCV antibodies between 1994/1995. Positive samples were retested for confirmation with a line immunoassay (LIA, Inno-LIA HCV Ab III). Most of these subjects were low income and came from southern Brazilian states (65.8). Two point four percent (IC 95 percent 1.2 percent- 4.6 percent) of the subjects had LIA-confirmed anti-HCV antibodies reactivity. The age-specific prevalence of HCV antibodies slightly increased with age, with the highest prevalence after the age of 40 years. The results of multivariate analysis indicate a strong association between HCV antibodies and previous surgery and history of intravenous drug use. There were no apparent association with gender, hepatitis B virus markers, blood transfusion, and sexual activity. Mean time living in Amazon did not differ between confirmed and negative anti-HCV individuals. The present data point out an intermediate endemicity of HCV infection among this immigrant community to the Amazon region and that few HCV infected participants presented known risk factors
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Hepacivirus
/
Hepatitis C Antibodies
/
Hepatitis, Viral, Human
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
1999
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS