Very low prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in rural communities of northeastern Brazil with a high prevalence of schistosomiasis mansoni.
The association of hepatitis C virus infection and the hepatosplenic form of schistosomiasis mansoni has been claimed to result in the concomitant evolution of the two pathologies, with a poor prognosis due to aggravated liver disease. Recently, however, some authors have begun to reject the hypothesis of a higher susceptibility of hepatosplenic schistosomal patients to HCV. The aim of the present transverse study carried out between July and August 1990 was to determine the possible association between SM and HCV markers in residents of Catolândia, Bahia State. Anti-HCV markers were assayed by ELISA-II and RIBA-II in serum samples obtained from 1,228 residents (85.8%). The anti-HCV antibody (ELISA-II) was positive in six (0.5%) individuals, eight (0.6%) cases were inconclusive and 1,214 (98.9%) were negative. However, only in one ELISA-positive serum sample (0.08%) were antibodies confirmed by RIBA-II, while two other samples assayed by RIBA-II were indeterminate. These three patients presented the hepatointestinal form of SM during the follow-up period (1976 to 1996). In conclusion, no association was observed between HCV and SM in the endemic area studied, especially among patients with the hepatosplenic form of the disease.
Tavares-Neto
Jose
J
Faculty of Medicine of Bahia, Federal University of Bahia, R. Marquês de Caravelas 262/101, 40140-210 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. tavaneto@ufba.br
Prata
Aluízio
A
Paraná
Raymundo
R
Valente
Vanderléia Bárbaro
VB
Vitvitski
Ludmila
L
Figueiredo
José Fernando C
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies