title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among users attending a voluntary testing centre in Rio Grande, southern Brazil: predictive factors and hepatitis C virus genotypes.
abstract: We estimated the prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection and associated risk factors in 750 individuals attending the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center of Rio Grande (VCT/RG), in Southern Brazil, and identified viral genotypes. Demographic data and risk factors for HCV transmission were also collected and analysed. Anti-HCV antibody-positive individuals were tested for HCV-RNA and genotyped by sequencing the 5' untranslated region of the viral genome. Prevalence estimates of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were 6% and 5.5%, respectively. We identified genotypes 1 (67%), 2 (2%) and 3 (31%); the latter was more prevalent than in other regions of Brazil. Anti-HCV prevalence in VCT/RG users was similar to previous reports. Age, previous blood transfusion, sexual orientation and injecting drug use were independent predictors of HCV infection. The presence of multiple risk factors was also associated with a higher risk for HCV infection. HCV genotype was not associated with any variable analysed in this study.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, AV. General Osório S/N, Centro 96200-400 Rio Grande.
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Honscha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strasburg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gabbi
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Sassi
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Seuánez
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: A M B
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral