Aspectos epidemiológicos e genótipos do vírus da Hepatite C em caminhoneiros de rota longa do Brasil

• Autor(a) principal: FREITAS, Nara Rubia de
• Data de Publicação: 2008
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFG
• dARK ID: ark:/38995/00130000039h8
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.bc.ufg.br/tede/handle/tde/1799
• topic: Hepatite C; caminhoneiros; fatores de risco; Hepatitis C; truck drivers; risk factors; CNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS::MICROBIOLOGIA

Globally, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is about 3%, with a significant variation according to geographic areas and population groups. However, studies concerning this infection in truck drivers population are rare. This study aimed to determine the HCV infection prevalence, to analyse associated risk factors and also to identify this virus genotypes in a population of long distance truck drivers in Brazil. In 2005-2006, 641 truck drivers who were circulating on BR-153 Federal road were interviewed and blood samples collected. Blood samples (sera) were tested for anti-HCV antibodies detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-HCV reactive sera were retested for confirmation by immunoblot and also for HCV RNA detection by polymerase chain reaction. HCV RNA positive samples were genotyped by line probe assay (LiPA). Nine samples were anti-HCV positive, resulting in a prevalence of 1.4% (95% CI: 0.7-2.7). By multivariate analysis, use of illicit drug and hepatitis B virus seropositivity (anti-HBc marker) were risk factors for this infection. Genotyping of HCV RNA positive samples revealed the presence of genotypes 1 (37.5%), 2 (25.0%) and 3 (37.5%). The findings of this study indicate an intermediate endemicity for HCV infection in truck drivers in Brazil, the relevance of drug use in the transmission of this agent and the circulation of genotypes 1, 2 and 3 in the studied population.