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Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in Inland Brazil: An analysis of pooled epidemiological sectional studies
Author(s) -
Souto Francisco José Dutra,
Fontes Cor Jésus Fernandes,
Pignati Luara Teófilo,
Pagliarini Maria Emiliana Sarno,
Menezes Valfredo da Mota,
Martinelli Ana de Lourdes Candolo,
Figueiredo José Fernando de Castro,
Donadi Eduardo Antonio,
Passos Afonso Diniz
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.23256
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , hepatitis c virus , logistic regression , virology , risk factor , hepatitis c , hepacivirus , viral disease , cross sectional study , drug injection , drug , immunology , virus , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , pathology , pharmacology
In order to assess the contribution of different parenteral routes as risk exposure to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), samples from nine surveys or cross‐sectional studies conducted in two Brazilian inland regions were pooled, including a total of 3,910 subjects. Heterogeneity among the study results for different risk factors was tested and the results were shown to be homogeneous. Anti‐HCV antibodies were observed in 241 individuals, of which 146 (3.7%, 95% CI = 3.2–4.4) had HCV exposure confirmed by immunoblot analysis or PCR test. After adjustment for relevant variables, a correlation between confirmed HCV exposure and injection drug use, tattooing, and advance age was observed. In a second logistic model that included exposures not searched in all nine studies, a smaller sample was analyzed, revealing an independent HCV association with past history of surgery and males who have sex with other males, in addition to repeated injection drug use. Overall, these analyses corroborate the finding that injection drug use is the main risk factor for HCV exposure and spread, in addition to other parenteral routes. J. Med. Virol. 84:756–762, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.