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oai:repisalud.isciii.es:20.500.12105/128952025-04-04T17:37:42Zcom_20.500.12105_2052com_20.500.12105_2051col_20.500.12105_19609

00925njm 22002777a 4500 dc Monsalve-Castillo, Francisca author Chacín-Bonilla, Leonor author Atencio, Ricardo J author Porto Espinoza, Leticia author Costa-León, Luciana author Echevarria, Jose Manuel author 2007-02 Previous studies have not found hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Amerindians from Western Venezuela. A survey of 254 Bari and Yukpa natives aged 10-60 years (mean +/- SD age = 35 +/- 5.4 years) from four communities, two Bari and two Yukpa, in this area were studied to assess the prevalence of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and HCV RNA among these indigenous populations. Serum samples were examined initially for anti-HCV by a four generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Reactive samples were then tested using a third generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-3). Viral RNA was investigated in all immunoblot-reactive samples by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Six (2.3%) of 254 natives were positive by ELISA, one (2.2%) of these reactive samples were positive by RIBA, and four (1.5%) were indeterminate. Only two (0.8%) were positive by PCR, corresponding to 1 (2.1%) of 47 inhabitants of a Yukpa community and to 1 (2.2%) of 45 subjects of a Bari community. Iatrogenic is thought to play a role in acquisition of the infection. The findings indicate a HCV focus of low endemicity and are compatible with a low degree of exposures of the natives to the virus. Studies are necessary to assess the risk factors for infection in these Amerindians. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz . 2007 Feb;102(1):107-10 10.1590/s0074-02762007000100018 0074-0276 Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 17294009 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/12895 hepatitis C virus prevalence Amerindians Venezuela Low prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Amerindians from Western Venezuela.