title: [Infection by hepatitis virus among the indigenous populations of South America: a review of the problem].
abstract: After the report of the epidemic outbreak of delta hepatitis among the Yukpa amerindians in the early 80s, the viral hepatitis arose as an important health problem in all the Amerindian communities from the north of South America and the Amazonian Basin. Despite the few data available, the results obtained in different communities from Venezuela (Yukpa, Barí, Yanomami) have shown a high endemicity of hepatitis B and D virus infections and a significant prevalence of hepatitis E virus-specific antibody among their members. By contrast, the infection by hepatitis C virus, which is present in all the urban areas from South America, seems uncommon, or even absent among some Amerindian populations. At the moment, a satisfactory explanation for this findings has not yet been arised. However, it could be possible that the margination of these populations regarding the health care system has been keeping them free of an infection largely linked worldwide to iatrogeny. Vaccination of Amerindian populations against hepatitis B should be taken as a priority of the health care programs. Moreover, such programs should consider the iatrogenic transmission of the HCV as a matter of concern regarding such populations, since parenterally transmitted hepatitis viruses seems to spread quickly among their members once they are introduced, giving rise to serious health problems.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Virología e Inmunología Sanitarias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Echevarría
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blitz-Dorfman
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007199:Indians, South American; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines