Epidemiological aspects of hepatitis C virus infection among renal transplant recipients in Central Brazil
AUTOR(ES)
Botelho, Sílvia M, Ferreira, Renata C, Reis, Nádia RS, Kozlowski, Aline G, Carneiro, Megmar AS, Teles, Sheila A, Yoshida, Clara FT, Martins, Regina MB
FONTE
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
2008-08
RESUMO
An investigation was conducted involving 255 renal transplant recipients in the state of Goiás, Central Brazil, to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), its risk factors, the genotypes involved, and the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) present in the patients. All serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. Forty-one patients were anti-HCV and/or HCV RNA positive, resulting in an overall HCV infection prevalence of 16.1% (95% CI: 11.9-21.3). A multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that a history of blood transfusions without anti-HCV screening, the length of time spent on hemodialysis, and renal transplantation before 1994 are all associated with HCV positivity. In HCV-positive patients, only 12.2% had ALT levels above normal. Twenty-eight samples were genotyped as genotype 1, subtypes 1a (62.5%) and 1b (31.3%), and two samples (6.2%) were genotype 3, subtype 3a. These data show a high prevalence of HCV infection and low ALT levels in the studied population. The risk factor analysis findings emphasize the importance of public health strategies such as anti-HCV screening of candidate blood and organ donors, in addition to the stricter adoption of hemodialysis-specific infection control measures. The present study also demonstrates that HCV genotype 1 (subtype 1a) is predominant in this population.
Documentos Relacionados
- GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients in central Brazil
- Prevalence of hepatitis C Virus infection among hemophiliacs in Central Brazil
- Epidemiological aspects of hepatitis C in Brazil
- Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in Central-West Brazil
- Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in kidney transplant recipients