Hepatitis B and C virus infection among Brazilian Amazon riparians

Abstract

Introduction: Viral hepatitis is a major public health concern in Brazil. There are few past studies on this issue, especially among riparian communities. This study aims at determining the seroprevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in the riparian community of Pacuí Island, within the Cametá municipality of Pará State, Brazil. Moreover, this study aims to investigate the principal risk factors that this community is exposed to. Methods: The current study has accessed blood samples from 181 volunteers who have answered an epidemiological questionnaire. Analyses on serological markers have been tested with commercial ELISA kits for detecting HBsAg, total anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV. Within seroreactive patients for HCV, RT-PCR and line probe assay have been performed to identify the viral genotype. Results: In the serological marker analysis for hepatitis B, no reactivity for HBsAg, rate of 1.1% for total anti-HBc, and rate of 19.3% for anti-HBs have been observed. On hepatitis C, 8.8% seroprevalence has been found, in which 62.5% have gotten viral RNA. Among the risk factors studied, the following have been highlighted: non-use of condoms, sharing of cutting instruments, use of illicit drugs, and reports of family disease with HBV or HCV. Conclusions: The vaccination coverage against HBV is low, and the high prevalence of HCV within this community has been observed.

Distribution of hepatitis B infection in Brazil: the epidemiological situation at the beginning of the 21 st century

“…When anti-HB titers lower than 10UI/L were considered, prevalence reaches approximately 90% (Table 7). However, two studies (Amazon and northeast) suggested low vaccine coverage (52) (60) .…”

HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis prevalence and coinfection among sex workers in Southern Brazil

“…Coinfection of HIV and HBV and/or HCV is thought to be very common because of the similarity between the modes of disease transmission 3,10 .…”

Detecção de infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B nos municípios brasileiros segundo cobertura dos serviços de hemoterapia, no período de 2001 a 2008

“…18 As elevadas razões de taxas de detecção de infecção pelo VHB segundo cobertura de serviço de hemoterapia, verificadas nas regiões Norte e Nordeste, podem indicar subnotificação dos casos de hepatite B nos municípios de menor porte, provavelmente por deficiência no diagnóstico, devida a dificuldades de acesso aos serviços hemoterápicos. Nos municípios de menor porte, baixas coberturas vacinais são verificadas, 20 não obstante saiba-se que a cobertura vacinal não é adequada, inclusive em localidades do Sudeste brasileiro. A elevada razão de taxas de detecção de hepatite B da região Sudeste deve-se, possivelmente, à presença de serviços mais estruturados de hemoterapia, em oposição àqueles -implantados mais recentemente -nas regiões Norte, Nordeste e Centro-Oeste.…”