Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and HCV genotypes among hemophiliacs in the State of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil: analysis of serological and virological parameters

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to analyze HCV serological and virological parameters from hemophiliacs in the State of Bahia. Anti-HCV was investigated by ELISA in a cohort of 268 hemophiliacs A/B who were followed-up in a reference unit for hemotherapy in the State of Bahia. HCV viremia and genotypes were also determined from a subset of 66 anti-HCV seropositive hemophiliacs. Seroprevalence among hemophiliacs was 42.2% (95% CI 36.5-48.1) and was significantly higher (p<0.05) according to age >10 years, presence of factor VIII/IX inhibitory antibodies and other infection markers. None of the hemophiliacs less than 5 years of age were anti-HCV seropositive. Viremia was detectable in 77.3% (51/66). HCV genotype 1 (74%) was the most prevalent followed by genotype 3 (22%) and genotype 2 (4%). Our results indicate that HCV prevalence is still high among hemophiliacs, although HCV transmission was not observed in young hemophiliacs. Key-words: Hepatitis C virus. Hemophilia. Prevalence. Genotype. Bahia. RESUMOO objetivo deste estudo foi analisar parâmetros sorológicos e virológicos em hemofílicos no Estado da Bahia. O anti-VHC foi investigado por ELISA em uma coorte de 268 hemofílicos A/B sob acompanhamento em uma unidade de referência do Estado da Bahia. A viremia do VHC e genótipos foram determinados em um subgrupo de 66 hemofílicos soropositivos para o anti-VHC. A soroprevalência do anti-VHC entre os hemofílicos foi de 42,2% (IC 95% 36,5-48,1) e foi associada significativamente (p<0,05) a idade >10 anos, presença de anticorpos antifator VIII/IX e outros marcadores sorológicos de infecção. Nenhum dos hemofílicos com idade inferior a 5 anos foram anti-VHC positivos. A viremia foi detectada em 77,3% (51/66), sendo o genótipo 1 do VHC (74%) o mais prevalente, seguido pelos genótipos 3 (22%) e 2 (4%). Nossos resultados indicam que a prevalência do VHC é ainda alta entre os hemofílicos, muito embora a transmissão não tenha sido observada entre os menores de 5 anos. Palavras-chaves: Vírus da hepatite C. Hemofilia. Prevalência. Genótipos. Bahia.

Transfusion Transmitted Hepatitis: Where Do We Stand Now? A One Center Study in Upper Egypt

“…Moreover, the donor could be in a window period during which infection may not be detected serologically [34]. In our study, 39% of patients with hemophilia were HCV positive, which is lower than what was found in a study conducted in Brazil, whereas 44.6% of the hemophilic population was positive [35], but higher than the results found by Asif et al [36], in Pakistan, where 36% of patients with hemophilia A and B tested positive for the hepatitis C antibody. Rezvan et al .…”

Evidence of association between hepatitis C virus genotype 2b and nosocomial transmissions in hemodialysis centers from southern Brazil

“…Noteworthy, however, is the high prevalence of genotype 2b among the patients treated in the hemodialysis units enrolled here, especially from one of the units studied. This is a unique characteristic, considering the low prevalence of this genotype in Brazil [15,21,33,39,40]. These findings suggest a potential role of nosocomial transmission among the patients involved.…”

Prevalence and genotypes of hepatitis C virus among injecting drug users from Salvador-BA, Brazil

“…Genotypes 1, 2 and 3 are mostly cosmopolitan, while genotypes 4 and 5 are predominant in Africa and genotype 6 is found in Asia (Simmonds et al 1993). Several studies in Brazil have reported that HCV genotype 1 is more prevalent than genotype 3 among patients who had received a blood transfusion (Silva et al 2005). Two population-based studies, one conducted in Italy and another in Brazil, identified a possible switch in the prevalence of these genotypes in the general population, indicating that specific risk factors may play a role in HCV transmission (Guadagnino et al 1997, Zarife et al 2006).…”

“…The different genotypes are known to differ in their distribution, depending on both geographic region and mode of transmission (Zein 2000). Of the different HCV genotypes, 1 and 3 are the predominant types among blood donors and other groups at risk for transfusion-transmitted infection, such as haemophiliacs and haemodialysis patients in Salvador, Brazil and IDUs in Europe (Bourliere et al 2002, Silva et al 2005. However, the HCV genotype distribution found in these groups may differ from the genotype distribution seen in the general population.…”