Low prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Amerindians from Western Venezuela
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
102(1): 107-110, Feb. 2007. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-440633
ABSTRACT
Previous studies have not found hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Amerindians from Western Venezuela. A survey of 254 Bari and Yukpa natives aged 10-60 years (mean ± SD age = 35 ± 5.4 years) from four communities, two Bari and two Yukpa, in this area were studied to assess the prevalence of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and HCV RNA among these indigenous populations. Serum samples were examined initially for anti-HCV by a four generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Reactive samples were then tested using a third generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-3). Viral RNA was investigated in all immunoblot-reactive samples by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Six (2.3 percent) of 254 natives were positive by ELISA, one (2.2 percent) of these reactive samples were positive by RIBA, and four (1.5 percent) were indeterminate. Only two (0.8 percent) were positive by PCR, corresponding to 1 (2.1 percent) of 47 inhabitants of a Yukpa community and to 1 (2.2 percent) of 45 subjects of a Bari community. Iatrogenic is thought to play a role in acquisition of the infection. The findings indicate a HCV focus of low endemicity and are compatible with a low degree of exposures of the natives to the virus. Studies are necessary to assess the risk factors for infection in these Amerindians.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Indians, South American
/
Hepatitis C
/
Hepacivirus
/
Hepatitis C Antibodies
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prevalence study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Venezuela
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
2007
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Spain
/
Venezuela
Institution/Affiliation country:
Escuela de Bioanálisis/VE
/
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas/VE
/
Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ES
/
Universidad del Zulia/VE
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