Aspectos evolutivos da hepatite C pós-transfusional. Revisão de 175 casos

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus is the main agent responsible for post-transfusion hepatitis. Progression to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is very common. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, timing and factors related to progression of hepatitis C. One hundred seventy five patients with chronic post-transfusion hepatitis C were grouped in a cirrhosis group (n = 92) and a non-cirrhosis group (n = 83). The medium time of development to cirrhosis was 11 +/- 6 years. Patients with cirrhosis were older at the time they received transfusion, used more alcohol and had longer times of evolution. The prognosis was worse in the cirrhosis group with a mortality rate of 28.4% and 9.1% of evolution towards hepatocellular carcinoma, comparing with 5.5% and 0% in the non-cirrhosis group respectively. It is shown that post-transfusion hepatitis C is slowly developing progressive disease which progress is much more rapidly in elderly patients and patients with others factors of liver damage.

Comparison of risk factors among blood donors, volunteers and replacement individuals, infected or not by hepatitis C virus

“…This relevance may be due to obsolate techniques, when tattoos were applied with non-disposable non-sterilized equipment in inappropriate parlors, by persons who were not aware of disease epidemiology (3,40). According to Haley and Fischer (44) Post-transfusion hepatitis used to be more frequent before 1989, when the C virus was discovered (13,17,24,26). Until then, infected individuals could donate blood without knowing they were transmitting the disease.…”

“…Risky procedures include use of the following: surgical instruments, contaminated needles and syringes, endoscopic equipment, acupuncture, hemodialysis, as well as organ transplants (currently in a significant low incidence) and hemocomponent transfusions (2,15,(23)(24)(25). Hepatitis C virus is also transmitted through illicit parenteral and intra-nasal drug users, mirrors and inhalation straws contaminated by nasal and intranasal secretions, through shared use of personal devices such as razors and other blades, toothbrushes, cuticle nippers, as well as permanent tattoo applicators (1,2,(23)(24)(25)(26).…”