TY - JOUR
KW - leprosy
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Prevalence
KW - Hepatitis C
KW - Hepatitis B
KW - Viral hepatitis
KW - Full text online
AU - Ramos JMH
AU - Silva ÁMC
AU - Martins RMB
AU - Souto FJD
AB - Leprosy and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are highly endemic in some regions of the state of Mato Grosso, in central Brazil. The association of leprosy with HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) was assessed using a seroprevalence study and 191 leprosy outpatients were included. Demographic data and the clinical classification of leprosy were recorded. Evidence of previous HBV infection was present in 53 patients (27.7%, 95% confidence interval: 21.9-34.5) and two (1%) were HBsAg positive. Five (2.6%) had antibodies to HCV. The prevalence of previous exposure to HBV was higher than expected for an adult population in central Brazil. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was not much higher regarding the age range of participants. HBV markers were associated with a higher number of sex partners and the use of injections without proper sterilisation of the syringes. The number of HBV carriers was small, suggesting that there was no increased likelihood of chronification among these patients.
BT - Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
CN - RAMOS 2011
DA - 08/2011
DO - 10.1590/S0074-02762011000500019 
IS - 5
J2 - Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 
LA - eng
N2 - Leprosy and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are highly endemic in some regions of the state of Mato Grosso, in central Brazil. The association of leprosy with HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) was assessed using a seroprevalence study and 191 leprosy outpatients were included. Demographic data and the clinical classification of leprosy were recorded. Evidence of previous HBV infection was present in 53 patients (27.7%, 95% confidence interval: 21.9-34.5) and two (1%) were HBsAg positive. Five (2.6%) had antibodies to HCV. The prevalence of previous exposure to HBV was higher than expected for an adult population in central Brazil. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was not much higher regarding the age range of participants. HBV markers were associated with a higher number of sex partners and the use of injections without proper sterilisation of the syringes. The number of HBV carriers was small, suggesting that there was no increased likelihood of chronification among these patients.
PB - Scielo
PY - 2011
SP - 632 
EP -  634
T2 - Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
TI - Prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection among leprosy patients in a leprosy-endemic region of central Brazil
UR - http://www.scielo.br/pdf/mioc/v106n5/19.pdf
VL - 106
SN - 0074-0276
ER -