Hepatitis B and C virus markers among patients with hepatosplenic mansonic schistosomiasis

Abstract

SUMMARYPurpose: To evaluate the frequency and the consequences of the co-infection of hepatitis B and C viruses in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS).Methods: B and C serologic markers, exposure to risk factors, biochemical assays, upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, and abdominal ultrasonograms were evaluated in 101 patients with HSS from 1994 to 1997. Whenever possible, PCR was tested and histopathological studies were reviewed.Results: At least one HBV virus marker was found in 15.8%, and anti-HCV was detected in 12.9% of the subjects. The seropositive subjects tended to be older than the seronegative ones. A history of blood transfusion was significantly related to the presence of anti-HCV. Three (18.75%) out of 16 subjects exposed to B virus were HBsAg positive. Eleven (84.6%) out of thirteen patients who were anti-HCV positive demonstrated viral activity. Patients with ongoing viral infection presented a higher average level of liver aminotransferases, a higher frequency of cell decompensation and a higher rate of chronic hepatitis. Portal hypertension parameters were not influenced by viral exposure. Conclusions:The rate of hepatitis B and C viruses serologic markers observed in the patients with HSS was higher than the control group. The co-infection was responsible for a higher frequency of cell decompensation.

Association between Schistosomiasis mansoni and hepatitis C: systematic review

“…2,9,19,29,30 Among the 13 articles included in the fi nal step of the review, ten were cross-sectional studies, 8,9,19,29,30,36,37,39,40,45 one was a retrospective cases series, 6 one was a prospective cases series 2 and the other was a cases series with an external control group. 32 Five studies 6,32,39,40,45 were conducted in Brazil, fi ve in Egypt, 2,9,19,29,30 two in Sudan, 36,37 one in Ethiopia 8 and one in Kenya. 9 A higher prevalence of HCV infection was found in the SM population of Egypt, compared to the other countries (Table 1).…”

“…Eight studies 2,6,19,32,36,37,40,45 sought to determine the serologic prevalence of HCV infection in an SM population and one study proposed to verify any epidemiologic relationship of schistosomiasis and HBV and HCV serologic markers. 30 Six studies 6,9,29,37,39,40 aimed to evaluate the severity of hepatic lesions and morbidity of hepatitis C when associated with SM and to correlate this with serologic markers.…”

“…30 Six studies 6,9,29,37,39,40 aimed to evaluate the severity of hepatic lesions and morbidity of hepatitis C when associated with SM and to correlate this with serologic markers. The mean age of humans enrolled in these studies was 33.7 years and in four articles subjects were > 40 years 6,29,32,36 (Table 2). …”

“…2,19,29,30 The quantifi cation of the viral titers was performed by HCV RNA PCR in seven studies. 6,9,29,36,37,39,40 Six studies made appropriate epidemiologic and statistical analyses to confi rm the correlation between risk factors associated and HCV infection in SM patients. 19,29,32,36,37,40 The other articles suggested possible risk factors without any statistical correlation found (Table 3).…”

“…1 United Kingdom and USA, 5,41,53,54 and in developing countries, such as Egypt 2,25,26 and Brazil. 6,39,45 In Egypt, eight to ten million are infected and 68 million people have been exposed to HCV 52 (a prevalence of 10 to 60%), mainly in rural areas. 15,17,21 The prevalence of HCV infection is lower in Brazil than in Egypt and varies from 2.5% to 4.9%, corresponding to approximately 3.9 to 7.6 million people.…”