[Prevalence of liver diseases in a small rural community isolated in the mountain heights: clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic study].
The goal of this population-based clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic study was to assess the prevalence of liver diseases in Lara, a small rural community isolated in the mountain heights of Tucumán, a Province of Argentina with the highest reported rates of HAV infection in children. Inhabitants of Lara lack electricity, potable water and a sewer system. The study included 102 individuals representing 41% of the total population. Anti-HBc and anti-HCV were negative in all cases. No children showed clinical, biochemical or ecographic abnormalities. Among adults, 41% referred alcohol consumption and 12% blood transfusions. Only 3 adults (6%) had mildly elevated ALT. Ultrasound showed steatosis in 8 individuals (16%), gallstones in 7 (14%), parenchymal micro-calcifications in 5 (10%) and parasitic cysts in 4 (8%). Prevalence of HAV infection in Lara was 89% in adults and 35% in children, being significantly lower than that of children of medium/high (53%, p = 0.05) and low (74%, p = 0.0006) socioeconomic level from the city of Tucumán (control groups). These differences were more marked in children aged < 5 years (anti-HAV in 0%, 53% and 75% respectively). Serologic tests for echinoccocal disease were positive in 3/4 individuals with parasitic cysts, 2/5 with micro-calcifications and 17/85 (20%) with normal ultrasound, thus suggesting a high rate of false-positive results of the Elisa test utilized. This study showed that in Lara there is a high prevalence of steatosis, gallstones and equinoccocal disease in adults, absence of HBVand HCV infection and low exposure to HAV in children especially in those aged < 5 years.
Soria
Sonia M
SM
Unidad de Hepatología, Cirugía Hepatobiliar y Trasplante Hepático, Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ssoria@ffavaloro.org
Katz
Susana L
SL
Alvarez
Daniel F
DF
Rodríguez
Roberto R
RR
González
María G
MG
D'Angelo
Pablo J
PJ
Bulacio
Pedro A
PA
Sixto
Marcela I
MI
Abdelnur
I Gustavo J
IG
Garay
María E
ME
Bianchi
Ana M
AM
Leguina
María I
MI
Véliz
María A
MA
Villamil
Federico G
FG
D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D014463:Ultrasonography