Incidence of hepatitis C in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis C is a public health problem of global dimensions, affecting approximately 200 million people worldwide. The main objective of this study was to estimate the incidence rate of hepatitis C in Brazil during the period between 2001 and 2012. Methods: An epidemiological, temporal, and descriptive study was performed using data from the Information System for Reportable Diseases. Results: Between 2001 and 2012, a total of 151,056 hepatitis C cases were recorded, accounting for 30.3% of all hepatitis notifi cations in Brazil. The average gross coeffi cient for the analysis period was 6.7 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The regions with the highest rates were the Southeast region (8.7 new cases/100,000 inhabitants) and the South (13.9 new cases/100,000 inhabitants). There was a predominance of men with respect to the incidence rate (8.0 new cases/100,000 inhabitants) compared to women (5.5 new cases/100,000 inhabitants). Injection drug use was the most common source of infection, and members of the white race, residents of urban areas, and those aged 60 to 64 years had the highest incidences. Conclusions: Over the last 10 years, the incidence of hepatitis C in Brazil has increased, mainly in the South and Southeast. The adoption of fast, accurate diagnostic methods, together with epidemiological awareness, can facilitate early intervention measures for adequate control of the disease.

Age-standardized mortality rates related to viral hepatitis in Brazil

“…Hence, southeast and south regions presented higher mortality rates due to hepatitis C than others regions. These results might be explained by higher rates of diagnosis since these populations have a better access to the health care systems [ 29 ] and/or by higher incidence of hepatitis C [ 30 ]. Higher mortality rates in few Brazilian federations units, such as AC and RS, might be related to a higher prevalence of injection drug users in these regions [ 31 ].…”

Clinical, Epidemiological, and Geospatial Characteristics of Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus Treated with Second-Generation Direct-Action Antivirals in a Reference Center in a Mesoregion of São Paulo State, Brazil

“…Most municipalities showed low levels of accumulated incidence, varying from 1 to 5 individuals per 10,000 inhabitants, and the cumulative incidence of the region was 0.26 per 100,000 inhabitants. This rate is about 10-fold lower than the 6.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants found in Brazil between 2001 and 2012, and 45-fold lower than the incidence rates found countrywide in 2017 (11.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) [ 33 ]. The incidence rates found in Brazil are much lower than in developed countries such as Canada and the United States and countries in Europe, which have much more developed and efficient screening and notification systems [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Clinical evaluation and prevalence of fibromyalgia in hepatitis C patients

“…The reflection of female significance in the genesis of the relationship between FM and HCV was observed in this study and reinforced by several authors 1,5,14,18,20 . In addition to FM, it is known that other extrahepatic symptoms may be observed in patients with hepatitis C. Musculoskeletal pain complaints are common, with a prevalence of 50-81% 32 . In a study by Poynard et al 34 , fatigue was highlighted in 53% of patients, followed by arthralgia (23%), paresthesia (17%), and myalgia (15%).…”