Low prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Amerindians from Western Venezuela

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

Epidemiology of viruses causing chronic hepatitis among populations from the Amazon Basin and related ecosystems Epidemiología de las hepatitis crónicas con carácter vírico en las comunidades indígenas de la cuenca amazónica y de otros ecosistemas similares

On the last twenty years, viral hepatitis has emerged as a serious problem in almost all the Amerindian communities studied in the Amazon Basin and in other Amazon-related ecological systems from the North and Center of South America. Studies performed on communities from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela have shown a high endemicity of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection all over the region, which is frequently associated to a high prevalence of infection by hepatitis D virus among the chronic HBV carriers. Circulation of both agents responds mainly to horizontal virus transmission during childhood through mechanisms that are not fully understood. By contrast, infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is present in all the urban areas of South America, is still very uncommon among them. At the moment, there is not data enough to evaluate properly the true incidence that such endemicity may have on the health of the populations affected. Since viral transmission might be operated by mechanisms that could not be acting in other areas of the World, it seems essential to investigate such mechanisms and to prevent the introduction of HCV into these populations, which consequences for health could be very serious.<br>A lo largo de los últimos veinte años, las hepatitis víricas se han revelado como un importante problema para las comunidades indígenas de la cuenca amazónica y de otros ecosistemas similares del norte y centro de Sudamérica. Los estudios realizados en comunidades de Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Perú y Venezuela han demostrado una alta propensión endémica para la infección por el virus de la hepatitis B, que se asocia con frecuencia a una elevada prevalencia de coinfección con el virus de la hepatitis D entre los portadores crónicos. La circulación de ambos agentes responde a su transmisión horizontal durante la infancia, a través de mecanismos aún poco conocidos. Por el contrario, la infección por el virus de la hepatitis C es aún muy infrecuente entre los indígenas. No existen, por el momento, datos suficientes para evaluar el impacto real que esta endemia pueda tener sobre la salud de esas poblaciones. Considerando que la transmisión de estos agentes podría involucrar mecanismos que quizá no actúen en otras regiones, parece indispensable investigar dichos mecanismos y prevenir cuidadosamente la introducción del virus de la hepatitis C en esas comunidades, ya que las consecuencias para su salud podrían ser muy graves