title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C infection markers among children and adolescents in the southern Brazilian region.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections account for a substantial proportion of liver diseases worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV serological markers among children and adolescents and verify the epidemiology of the HBV infection over than a decade of the introduction of vaccination program. Serologic markers to HBsAg, total anti-HBc and anti-HCV had been tested in 393 samples. The seropositivity for HBsAg was 0.76% and for total anti-HBc was 1.02%. Copositivity between HBsAg and total anti-HBc was verified in 0.76% of the analyzed samples. There was no seropositivity for anti-HCV marker. The seroprevalence of HBV infection markers among children and adolescents in the southern Brazilian region is high compared to that reported in other countries. Preventive measures, such as educational activities in addition to the universal childhood HBV vaccination, should be initiated in order to reduce the morbimortality and the economic burden associated with the disease.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
authors.forename: Andréa do
authors.initials: Ad
authors.lastname: Livramento
authors.forename: Caio Mauricio Mendes de
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cordova
authors.forename: Celso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Arício
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Treitinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies