Aten Primaria

[Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and cohabiting contacts]

Year 1998
Lopez Exposito F. Massague Camins C. Cano Romera A. Lopez Plana A. Espona Barris R. Lopez Martinez R.
Area Basica de Salud Bon Pastor, DAP Sant Andreu, Barcelona.
OBJECTIVES: Study of the prevalence of Hepatitis C infection and of cohabiting contacts. DESIGN: A descriptive crossover study. SETTING: Health District. PATIENTS: There were a total of 13,500 people with histories opened at our centre. The histories of patients attending for general medical consultations between January 1995 and December 1996 were reviewed for Ac+ to the Hepatitis C (HC) virus. RESULTS: 145 patients were found to be Ac positive for HC (1.07%; CI, 0.9-1.2). 135 were index cases and 10 contacts. The most important items of history were intravenous drug use in 33 carriers (23%), transfusion in 22 (15%), contact with non-disposable material in 97 (67%) and surgery in 119 (82%). 115 (79%) of those infected had Transaminase disorder (< x10). CONCLUSIONS: The 1.07% prevalence found was similar to other studies. Previous surgery stood out among the factors causing risk of infection. Prevalence among cohabitants was 7%, half through sexual contacts. Since there was a higher prevalence of HC+ among family members (50% sexual partners), we believe the study should be extended and followed up in the family environment.

[Evolution of the prevalence of hepatitis A antibody in Seville]

Year 1998
Rivera F. Ruiz J. Garcia de Pesquera F.
Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio Sevilla.
OBJECTIVE: To find the evolution of the prevalence of the Hepatitis-A antibody in Sevilla. DESIGN: Observational study of a crossover type. Comparison of results in 1995 with those from a similar study in 1981. SETTING: Health Area covered by Sevilla's University Hospital Virgen del Rocio. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Aliquots of serum from patients without Hepatitis were obtained from the hospital's clinical analysis laboratories. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The sera were analysed in the Nuclear Medicine laboratory of the HUVR. 37.96% (62.74% in 1981) of the individuals surveyed were HA-positive. Prevalence increased with age: in the over-24s it was over 75% (90% in 1981). The differences between the two sets of results was significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis-A infection is becoming less common in Andalusia, which can now be considered a low-incidence area.