ABSTRACT
From 1992 to 1995 we studied 232 (69% male, 87% Caucasian) anti-human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) positive Brazilian patients, through a questionnaire; HIV had been acquired sexually by 50%, from blood by 32%, sexually and/or from blood by 16.4% and by an unknown route by 1.7%. Intravenous drug use was reported by 29%; it was the most important risk factor for HIV transmission. The alanine aminotransferase quotient (qALT) was >1 for 40% of the patients, 93.6% had anti-hepatitis A virus antibody, 5.3% presented hepatitis B surface antigen, 44% were anti-hepatitis B core antigen positive and 53.8% were anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) positive. The anti-HCV test showed a significant association with qALT>1. Patients for whom the probable HIV transmission route was blood had a 10.8 times greater risk of being anti-HCV positive than patients infected by other routes. Among 30 patients submitted to liver biopsy, 18 presented chronic hepatitis.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/complications , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Brazil , Chi-Square Distribution , Female , HIV Infections/blood , HIV Infections/transmission , Hepatitis A Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis B Core Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood , Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/blood , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/transmission , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
From 1992 to 1995 we studied 232 (69 percent male, 87 percent Caucasian) anti-human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) positive Brazilian patients, through a questionnaire; HIV had been acquired sexually by 50 percent, from blood by 32 percent, sexually and/or from blood by 16.4 percent and by an unknown route by 1.7 percent. Intravenous drug use was reported by 29 percent; it was the most important risk factor for HIV transmission. The alanine aminotransferase quotient (qALT) was >1 for 40 percent of the patients, 93.6 percent had anti-hepatitis A virus antibody, 5.3 percent presented hepatitis B surface antigen, 44 percent were anti-hepatitis B core antigen positive and 53.8 percent were anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) positive. The anti-HCV test showed a significant association with qALT>1. Patients for whom the probable HIV transmission route was blood had a 10.8 times greater risk of being anti-HCV positive than patients infected by other routes. Among 30 patients submitted to liver biopsy, 18 presented chronic hepatitis
