title: [Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B and C in Kaingang Indians in the south of Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Kaingang Indians living on the Mangueirinha reservation in the state of Paraná, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of viral markers was investigated in blood samples from 214 volunteers (81 males, 133 females), using immunoenzymatic techniques. The viral markers studied were: antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HB(c)), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HB(s)), hepatitis B surface antigen (HB(s)Ag), and antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). The participants answered a questionnaire on their sociodemographic characteristics, living conditions, personal habits (such as smoking and consuming alcohol or illicit drugs), and history of disease and of vaccination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The respondents ranged in age from 1 to 90 years; their mean age was 29.85 years. Positivity for anti-HB(s) was 71.02%, and for anti-HB(c) it was 15.42%. None of the individuals was positive for HB(s)Ag. Anti-HCV was detected in only one participant, a 30-year-old woman.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were low prevalences of HBV and HCV infection in the Kaingang population studied. The high prevalence of anti-HB(s) in younger individuals indicates good immunization coverage. In the adult population, immunity against HBV was probably acquired mainly by contact with the virus.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Departamento de Patologia Médica, Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greca
authors.forename: Ery
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Yatiyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Florise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spelling
authors.forename: Maristela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boeira
authors.forename: Sidneis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: Iara
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Messias-Reason
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies