The seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in an Amerindian population in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon

• Main Authors: J.O. Ferrari, M.U. Ferreira, A. Tanaka, M. Mizokami
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1999
• Subjects: Hepatitis B and C; Epidemiology; Amazonian Indians; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/0e8a2b956400486ab0c5ec0213d8ba91

We have investigated the seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C among Karitiana Indians (n = 119) living in the State of Rondônia, southwestern Brazilian Amazon. The prevalences of anti-HBs and anti-HBc were 16.1% and 35.3%, respectively, with HBsAg being found in only four (3.4%) subjects. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in two subjects (1.7%). Age-stratified prevalence data suggest that both vertical and horizontal (the last among adults) routes of HBV transmission are important in this community.