PREVALENCE OF ANTI-HBc MARKER AMONG BRAZILIAN
INDIANS
Grajcer B, Weckx LY,
Azevedo RA, Silva AEB, Rodrigues DA, Baruzzi RG
Unifesp/ Escola Paulista
de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil
Xingu
Indigenous Park (XIP) is located in Central Brazil, a region at the
transition of the Savannah at the south to the Amazon Jungle at the north.
Previous studies with the Indian adult population living at the region have
shown a high prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection. A study with
the indian population under 14 living at the northern region of the park
found: HBsAg 4,5%, anti-HBs 39,6%, anti-HBc 44,1%.
Objectives: This study aims to
identify the contact of the population under 14 from the southern region of
the Park with the HBV.
Methods: Four tribes, between
the 17 tribes living in this region, were chosen (Meinaco, Aueti, Kuikuro
and Ikpeng). We evaluated sera from 246 individuals, tested for anti-HBc by
EIA (Abbott Laboratories).
Results:
The prevalence of anti-HBc obtained was 6,9%, with no statistical difference
between sex and age-groups, suggesting an early contact with HBV, probably
by a horizontal manner. Analyzed by tribes, the prevalence of anti-HBc was:
Ikpeng 14,3%, Aueti 4,8%, Meinaco 3,5% and Kuikuro 1,6%.
Conclusion: The Ikpeng, who showed
a higher prevalence, live in the transition between the North and South of
the XIP. Other aspects distinguish the Ikpeng from the others. They were
the ones who moved to the PIX more recently, transfered from a more
Northern Amazonic region, a region with high infection rates. Cultural
practices, hygiene and habitation conditions, crowding, the frequent skin
lesions and the participation of hematophagous insects seems to play an
important role in the transmission of the HBV at the area.