Estudo da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite c em pacientes e profissionais da unidade de hemodiálise do estado do Tocantins

• Autor(a) principal: Luz, Jonio Arruda
• Data de Publicação: 2003
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFG
• dARK ID: ark:/38995/0013000005f0d
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.bc.ufg.br/tede/handle/tede/9177
• topic: Hepatite C; Hemodiálise; Hepatitis C; Hemodialysis; CLINICA MEDICA::DOENCAS INFECCIOSAS E PARASITARIAS

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the main cause of hepatitis in hemodialysis patients. In order to investigate the HCV infection profile in the hemodialysis unit of the Tocantins state, 100 patients and 20 staff were studied, from January to March 2001. After interview, blood samples were collected, sera obtained and tested for anti-HCV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All samples were also tested for RNA-HCV detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HCV-RNA positive samples were genotyped by INNO-LiPA. An overall prevalence of 16% (CI 95%: 9.7 – 24.1) was found. Of the 100 patients, 13 (13%) were anti-HCV positive. HCV viremia was present in 14% of patients: 11 anti-HCV positive and 3 anti-HCV negative. Genotyping of HCV RNA positive samples revealed the presence of genotypes 1 (subtype 1a) and 3 (subtype 3a). Analysis of risk factors studied showed that only length of time on hemodialysis was associated with seropositivity. These data suggest the nosocomial transmission of HCV in the dialysis unit studied, emphasizing the need to evaluate strategies of control and prevention followed in this unit. Additionally, HCV RNA detection is necessary for the diagnosis of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients. Genotyping of HCV-RNA positive samples reveled the presence of genotypes 1 (subtype 1a) and 3 (subtype3a).