An hemodialysis population in Central Brazil was screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serological methods to assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection

Abstract. Data from a six-year follow-up of Trypanosoma cruzi−infected adolescents enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial of benznidazole showed successful chemotherapy in 64.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] ‫ס‬ 50.2−78.7) and 84.7% (95% CI ‫ס‬ 66.8−92.9), respectively, by intention-to treat and by per protocol analysis measured by seronegativity in a chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a purified trypomastigote mucin antigen. No incident case of cardiomyopathy was detected by electrocardiogram assessment in this cohort of adolescents who had been infected in childhood. The persistent and consistently long-term negative serologic reactions suggest the absence of the parasite in the treated patients and reinforces the recommendation of early benznidazole chemotherapy for T. cruzi-infected infants as a public health policy in endemic areas.While the elimination of Chagas disease has been considered a reasonable public health goal, 1 controversies remain about the efficiency of trypanocidal chemotherapy, especially in chronic asymptomatic individuals. Currently, there is a need to find appropriate drugs or therapeutic regimens with existing drugs that can be used in Trypanosoma cruzi−infected individuals to prevent development of severe clinical forms of Chagas disease. In a previous randomized, double-blind, clinical trial carried out among infants in Brazil, we showed that a 60 day-course of benznidazole in patients with early chronic infections with T. cruzi was safe and effective in 55.8% of the children, as shown by seronegative conversion of specific antibodies after a 38-month follow-up, when compared with the placebo group.2 In addition, a short-term effect of benznidazole on the prevention of cardiac damage was also observed. A similar efficacy (62%) for benznidazole was also observed in a study conducted in Argentinean children.

Hemodialysis patients are at high risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. A survey was conducted in

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 controlmeasures 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 1993HCV antibodies in , 1996HCV antibodies in , 1999HCV antibodies in , and 2002. In the first six years (1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999), anti-HCV prevalence increased from 28.2 to 37.2%, however a strong decrease in positivity was detected between 1999 and 2002 (37.8 vs 16.5%) when the measures were fully implemented. Also, a decrease of the anti-HCV accumulated incidence in cohorts of susceptible individuals during 1993-2002 (71%), 1996-2002 (34.2%), and 1999-2002 (11.7%) Key words: hepatitis C -hemodialysis -prevalence -incidence -risk factors -Central Brazil Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects more than 170 million of people worldwide. This virus is a common cause of chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, both of which are associated with significant morbidity and mortality (Lauer & Walker 2001, Alberti & Benvegnu 2003, Poynard et al. 2003.HCV is efficiently transmitted by parenteral route. Therefore hemodialysis patients are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis C, because of the frequent past blood transfusion and regular vascular access (CDC 2001). In addition, HCV infected hemodialysis patients have an increased risk of death when compared with those not infected (Stehamn-Breen et al. 1998, Fabrizi et al. 2002.The prevalence of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients is usually greater than that found in general population (Fabrizi et al. 2002). On the other way, a high variability in the HCV positivity rates has been found in individuals undergoing hemodialysis, ranging from 3.4% in patients of Netherlands (Schneeberger et al. 2000), to more than 70% in Eastern Europe (Vladutiu et al. 2000). In Brazil, prevalence rates varying from 13% (Souza et al. 2003) to 64.7% (Vanderborght et al. 1995) have been reported. The screening of anti-HCV in blood banks and the adoption of hemodialysis-specific infection control measures have been implicated in the declining of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients (Djordjevic et al. 2000, Almoroth et al. 2002, Valtuille et al. 2002. In our country, the first measure has been implemented since November 1993, and the latter in the end of 1996 in compliance with news Health Ministry Standards for Renal units which are in accordance with most of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2001) recommendations. In this study, HCV infection prevalence, accu...

A survey was conducted in a blood donor population of Central Brazil aiming to investigate the prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection