Clinical and epidemiological features Of Hepatitis C In Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

• Main Authors: Thatiana Lameira Maciel Amaral, Alexandre Ururahy Rodrigues, Margareth Maria de Carvalho Quuiroz
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia 2014-01-01
• Series: Revista Saúde.com
• Subjects: Dental care; Family Health Program; Brazilian Unified Health System
• Online Access: http://www.uesb.br/revista/rsc/v10/v10n1a06.pdf

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a severe public health problem due to the large number of people infected and its various complications. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of individuals with HCV. Individuals reported by SINAN in 2006 and 2007 to be carriers of HCV were interviewed in 2010. The results show that most individuals were male (65%), aged between 40 and 59 years old (74%), heterosexual (98%), married (47%), with a low educational level (42%), and monthly family income below two times the minimum wage (46%). The genotypes were 1 (74%), 3 (24%), and 4 (2%). The main transmission routes reported were: blood transfusion (33%), the use of injectable Gluconergan (28%), and sexual intercourse (14%). Abdominal pain was reported by 63%. In regard to treatment, those with genotype 1 presented resistance to drugs and half of the individuals who had received a biopsy had a high degree of fibrosis (F3/F4) and esophageal varices. The degree of fibrosis influenced the results of laboratory exams. A total of 5% of the individuals were awaiting transplantation. Measures to control transmission, to reach an early diagnosis, and to improve the quality of information provided in report forms should be made a priority in the Brazilian public health system.