Decline of hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis patients in Central Brazil: a ten years of surveillance
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
100(4): 345-349, July 2005. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-405987
ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been a significant problem for hemodialysis patients. However this infection has declined in regions where the screening for anti-HCV in blood banks and hemodialysis-specific infection control measures were adopted. In Brazil, these measures were implemented in 1993 and 1996, respectively. In addition, all studied units have implemented isolation of anti-HCV positive patients since 2000. In order to evaluate the impact of these policies in the HCV infection prevalence, accumulated incidence, and risk factors in hemodialysis population of Goiânia City, Central Brazil, all patients were interviewed and serum samples tested for HCV antibodies in 1993, 1996, 1999, and 2002. In the first six years (1993-1999), anti-HCV prevalence increased from 28.2 to 37.2 percent, however a b decrease in positivity was detected between 1999 and 2002 (37.8 vs 16.5 percent) when the measures were fully implemented. Also, a decrease of the anti-HCV accumulated incidence in cohorts of susceptible individuals during 1993-2002 (71 percent), 1996-2002 (34.2 percent), and 1999-2002 (11.7 percent) was found. Analysis of risk factors showed that length of time on hemodialysis, blood transfusion before screening for anti-HCV and treatment in multiple units were statistically associated with anti-HCV (p < 0.05). Our study showed a significant decline of hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis patients of Central Brazil, ratifying the importance of public health strategies for control and prevention of hepatitis C in the hemodialysis units.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Population Surveillance
/
Renal Dialysis
/
Hepatitis C
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Incidence study
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
/
Screening study
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
2005
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Faculdade de Enfermagem/BR
/
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz/BR
/
Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública/BR
/
Universidade Federal de Goiás/BR
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