Prevalence of hepatitis B among pregnant women assisted at the public maternity hospitals of São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
Braz. j. infect. dis
;
16(6): 517-520, Nov.-Dec. 2012. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-658920
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important worldwide public health problem. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health estimates that 15% of the population has had contact with HBV, and that the mean rate of chronic carriers in Northeastern Brazil is around 0.5%.OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HBV markers in pregnant women receiving prenatal care at the public maternity hospitals of São Luís.Methods:
Demographical and epidemiological data were collected from 541 pregnant women according to the research protocol. Blood samples were collected, and the anti-HBc test was performed first. If positive, the sample was subsequently tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs. All HBsAg and/or anti-HBc positive samples were additionally tested for HBV-DNA.RESULTS:
40 (7.4%) pregnant women turned out positive for anti-HBc. Of those, five (0.9%) were HBsAg positive, four (0.7%) were anti-HBc positive with negative HBsAg and anti-HBs, and 31 (5.7%) were positive for anti-HBc and anti-HBs. Anti-HBc positivity was associated with family history of hepatitis and education level below 11 years of schooling. HBV-DNA was positive in only one HBsAg-positive sample. There was no HBV-DNA positivity among HBsAg negative samples.CONCLUSIONS:
The prevalence of HBsAg in pregnant women in this study confirmed that São Luís is a low endemicity area. Occult hepatitis B was not detected in these samples.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
/
Hepatitis B virus
/
Hepatitis B
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prevalence study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. infect. dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2012
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Federal do Maranhão/BR
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS