Leprosy and hepatitis B coinfection in southern Brazil.
To investigate the association of leprosy with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, as yet unknown for South Brazil, we assessed hepatitis B virus coinfection in 199 South Brazilian leprosy patients (119 lepromatous, 15 tuberculoid, 30 borderline, 12 undetermined and 23 unspecified) and in 681 matched blood donors by screening for the hepatitis B virus markers HBSAg and anti-HBc, using ELISA. Positive samples were retested and anti-HBc+ only samples were tested for the hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs). There was a strong association between leprosy and hepatitis B virus infection (OR=9.8, 95% CI=6.4-14.7; p=0.004 · E(-30)), as well as an association between HBV infection and lepromatous leprosy, compared to other forms (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.2-4.8; p=0.017). We also found that confinement due to leprosy was associated with hepatitis B virus infection (OR=3.9, 95% CI=2.1-7.4; p=0.015 · E(-3)). Leprosy patients are susceptible to develop hepatitis B virus infection, especially lepromatous. Institutionalized patients, who probably present a stronger Th2 response, have higher risk of being exposed to hepatitis B virus. This clearly emphasizes the need for special care to leprosy patients in preventing hepatitis B virus coinfection in South Brazil.
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Molecular, Department of Medical Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Cleverson
C
Leitão
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Molecular, Department of Medical Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Denis
D
Ueda
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Molecular, Department of Medical Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Anna Carolina
AC
de Moraes Braga
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Molecular, Department of Medical Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Angelica B W
AB
Boldt
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Molecular, Department of Medical Pathology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: iarareason@hc.ufpr.br.
Iara J T
IJ
Messias-Reason
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D001938:Brazil; D060085:Coinfection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
HBV; Hepatitis B; Leprosarium; Leprosy; Mycobacterium leprae