Hepatitis B and C virus infection among Brazilian Amazon riparians.
BACKGROUND
Viral hepatitis is a major public health concern in Brazil. There are few past studies on this issue, especially among riparian communities. This study aims at determining the seroprevalence of viral hepatitis B and C in the riparian community of Pacuí Island, within the Cametá municipality of Pará State, Brazil. Moreover, this study aims to investigate the principal risk factors that this community is exposed to.


METHODS
The current study has accessed blood samples from 181 volunteers who have answered an epidemiological questionnaire. Analyses on serological markers have been tested with commercial ELISA kits for detecting HBsAg, total anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV. Within seroreactive patients for HCV, RT-PCR and line probe assay have been performed to identify the viral genotype.


RESULTS
In the serological marker analysis for hepatitis B, no reactivity for HBsAg, rate of 1.1% for total anti-HBc, and rate of 19.3% for anti-HBs have been observed. On hepatitis C, 8.8% seroprevalence has been found, in which 62.5% have gotten viral RNA. Among the risk factors studied, the following have been highlighted: non-use of condoms, sharing of cutting instruments, use of illicit drugs, and reports of family disease with HBV or HCV.


CONCLUSIONS
The vaccination coverage against HBV is low, and the high prevalence of HCV within this community has been observed.
Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil.
Claudia Suellen Ferro de
CS
Oliveira
Adenielson Vilar E
AV
Silva
Kemper Nunes
KN
Dos Santos
Amanda Alves
AA
Fecury
Marcella Kelly Costa de
MK
Almeida
Adriana Prado
AP
Fernandes
Carlos Araújo da
CA
Costa
Andrei Silva
AS
Freitas
Tereza Cristina de Oliveira
TC
Corvelo
Luisa Caricio
LC
Martins
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral