Hepatitis B virus infection profile in central Brazilian hemodialysis population

Resumo

Hepatitis B has proved to be a major health hazard in hemodialysis patients. ln order to investigate the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection profile in the hemodialysis population of Goiânia city - Central Brazil, ali dialysis patients (N=282) were studied. The prevalence of any HBV marker (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc) was 56.7% (95% CI: 51.1-62.7), ranging from 33.3% to 77.7% depending on dialysis unit. HBV-DNA was detected in 67.6% and 88.2% of the HBsAg-positive serum samples, in 91.3% and 100% of the HBsAg/HBeAg-positive samples, and in 18.2% and 63.6% of the HBsAg/anti-HBe­reactive sera by hybridization and PCR, respectively. The Jength of time on hemodialysis was significantly associated with HBV seropositivity. Only 10% of the patients reported received hepatitis B vaccination. The findings of a high HBV infection prevalence in this population and the increased risk for HBV infection on Jong-term hemodialysis suggest the environmental transmission, emphasizing the urgent need to evaluate strategies of contrai and prevention followed in these units.

Descrição

Palavras-chave

Hemodialysis, Hepatitis B, HBV-DNA, Risk factors

Citação

TELES, Sheila A.; MARTINS, Regina M. B.; SILVA, Simonne A.; GOMES, Dinalva M. F.; CARDOSO, Divina D. P.; VANDERBORGHT, Bart O. M.; YOSHIDA, Clara F. T. YOSHIDA. Hepatitis B virus infection profile in central Brazilian hemodialysis population. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, São Paulo, v. 40, n. 5, p. 281-286, 1998.