Hepatitis C virus infection among Brazilian hemophiliacs: a virological, clinical and epidemiological study

Abstract

We determined and analyzed risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected Brazilian hemophiliacs according to their virological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics. A cross-sectional and retrospective study of 469 hemophiliacs was carried out at a Brazilian blood center starting in October 1997. The prevalence of HCV infection, HCV genotypes and factors associated with HCV RNA detection was determined. The seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies (ELISA-3.0) was 44.6% (209/469). Virological, clinical and epidemiological assessments were completed for 162 positive patients. There were seven (4.3%) anti-HCV seroconversions between October 1992 and October 1997. During the same period, 40.8% of the positive anti-HCV hemophiliacs had abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Plasma HCV RNA was detected by nested-RT-PCR in 116 patients (71.6%). RFLP analysis showed the following genotype distribution: HCV-1 in 98 hemophiliacs (84.5%), HCV-3 in ten (8.6%), HCV-4 in three (2.6%), HCV-2 in one (0.9%), and not typeable in four cases (3.4%). Univariate analysis indicated that older age (P = 0.017) and abnormal ALT levels (P = 0.010) were associated with HCV viremia, while the presence of inhibitor antibodies (P = 0.024) and HBsAg (P = 0.007) represented a protective factor against the presence of HCV RNA. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between HCV infection and hemophilia.

Chronic hepatitis C virus in the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil

“…Even though this genotype distribution resembles that found in Brazil as a whole, in fact these surveys had frequently presented only selective studies of specific groups such as drugs users, hemophiliacs, patients with chronic kidney disease and blood donors [15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. So, population surveys of HCV genotypic distribution are very needed in Brazil in order to know the real characteristics of this disease in this large country, as it was pointed out by Focaccia et al [11] The goal of this study was to describe clinical and demographic profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C in the state of Piaui as well as to enlarge the overall awareness of genotypic distribution of HCV in Northeast of Brazil.…”

Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes among blood donors from mid-west region of Brazil

“…In Brazil, a continental country, previous studies were carried out in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo (southeastern region), Porto Alegre (south region), Natal, Salvador and Recife (northeast region) 2,3,6,[8][9][10]13 . Given the limited amount of data concerning HCV genotypes in mid-west region 7 , we decided to investigate the distribution of HCV genotypes in blood donors from the four states of Mid-West region: Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and Distrito Federal.…”

Factors Associated With Subjective Well-Being In Adults With Hemophilia

“…Similar results were reported by Garbin et al [14], where 20 (66.6%) of the participants reported infectious comorbidities, and a predominance of hepatitis C infection (12 participants -40%). Carmo et al [30] reported that hemophilia patients were at high risk for hepatitis C infection before viral inactivation treatments. They demonstrate that hepatitis C infection is a major problem in Brazilian hemophiliacs, being associated with age, co-infection with hepatitis B and development of coagulation factor inhibitor.…”