02494nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653002200089653001100111653001100122653001600133653001600149653002700165653001900192653002200211653002300233653001100256653001200267653000900279653001600288653002200304653001500326100002000341700002300361700001400384700001400398245010200412300001000514490000700524050002100531520153000552022001402082       2006                            d  c2006 Jan10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aBrazil10aFemale10aHepacivirus10aHepatitis C10aHepatitis C Antibodies10aHIV Infections10aHTLV-I Infections10aHTLV-II Infections10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aPatient Isolation10aPrevalence1 aMoraes Braga AC1 aMessias-Reason LJT1 aMaluf ECP1 aVieira ER00aLeprosy and confinement due to leprosy show high association with hepatitis C in Southern Brazil.  a88-930 v97  aMORAESBRAGA 20053 a<p>Leprosy is a disease, which is accompanied by cellular immunity defects, which may increase the susceptibility of patients in developing co-infections. The association of leprosy with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV 1+2) infection and human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV I+II) infection have previously been described in different populations. In this study, the prevalence of these infections was determined in 199 Southern Brazilian leprosy patients and in 681 matched controls. Antibodies to HCV were positive in 3.52% of the patients (7/199) and in 0.15% of the controls (1/681; odds ratio (OR)=24.79; 95% CI=3.03-202.74; p=0.0002). An increased risk of HCV infection was observed in institutionalized patients (OR=14.95; 95% CI=1.76-127.03; p=0.004) and in the lepromatous form of the disease (OR=7.67; 95% CI=0.43-136.62; p=ns). Anti-HIV 1+2 antibodies were positive in only one out-patient (1/199; 0.50%) and in none of the controls (0/681; OR=3.43; 95% CI=0.21-55.16; p>0.05). No leprosy patient was positive for anti-HTLV I+II antibodies. These results demonstrate an increased prevalence of HCV infection in leprosy patients from South Brazil and that both institutionalization and lepromatous form of the disease confer higher risk to HCV infection. These data emphasizes the importance of monitoring hepatitis C and leprosy interactions and the need of special care to institutionalized and lepromatous patients in preventing HCV co-infection.</p>  a0001-706X