Juliana N F Piauiense1,2, Camila C S Costa1,2, Ronylson J S Silva1, Yasmin M N Cardoso3, Jeruza F F Di Miceli3, Rafael L Resque3, José Alexandre R Lemos4,5, Benedikt Fischer6,7,8, João Renato R Pinho9, Emil Kupek10, Luisa C Martins2, Aldemir B Oliveira-Filho1. 1. Laboratório de Células e Patógenos, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros, Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil. 2. Laboratório de Patologia Clínica de Doenças Tropicais, Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil. 3. Laboratório de Toxicologia e Química Farmacêutica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Brazil. 4. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil. 5. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Centro de Hemoterapia e Hematologia do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. 6. Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, New Zealand. 7. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 8. Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. 9. Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 10. Departamento de Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Abstract
Background: Several records of high prevalence of HBV have been made in northern Brazil. Among risk groups for viral infection, people who use illicit drugs (PWUDs) stand out, especially if they inject drugs and engage in risky sexual behavior. Objectives: In this study, the prevalence, genotype distribution and factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure in PWUDs were estimated. Methods: This cross-sectional study used snowball sampling from nine different sites. Socio-demographic, economic, drug use and health-related information were collected of 308 PWUDs from nine municipalities in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil. Blood samples were tested for the presence of HBV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Logistic regressions were run to identify factors independently associated with HBV exposure. Results: In total, seventy (22.7%) PWUDs were exposed to HBV, and 12 (3.9%) had DNA HBV. Genotypes A (58.4%), D (33.3%) and F (8.3%) were identified. Age ≥35 years, use of injectable drug, daily use of drugs, use of drugs over 12 years, unprotected sex, exchange sex for money/drugs, and >12 sexual partners in the last 12 months were associated with exposure to HBV. Conclusions: This study identified important information on the epidemiological scenario of HBV infection in PWUDs, highlighting the high prevalence of HBV exposure and the urgent need for measures for control and prevention, especially vaccination against this hepatotropic virus.
Background: Several records of high prevalence of HBV have been made in northern Brazil. Among risk groups for viral infection, people who use illicit drugs (PWUDs) stand out, especially if they inject drugs and engage in risky sexual behavior. Objectives: In this study, the prevalence, genotype distribution and factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure in PWUDs were estimated. Methods: This cross-sectional study used snowball sampling from nine different sites. Socio-demographic, economic, drug use and health-related information were collected of 308 PWUDs from nine municipalities in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil. Blood samples were tested for the presence of HBV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Logistic regressions were run to identify factors independently associated with HBV exposure. Results: In total, seventy (22.7%) PWUDs were exposed to HBV, and 12 (3.9%) had DNA HBV. Genotypes A (58.4%), D (33.3%) and F (8.3%) were identified. Age ≥35 years, use of injectable drug, daily use of drugs, use of drugs over 12 years, unprotected sex, exchange sex for money/drugs, and >12 sexual partners in the last 12 months were associated with exposure to HBV. Conclusions: This study identified important information on the epidemiological scenario of HBV infection in PWUDs, highlighting the high prevalence of HBV exposure and the urgent need for measures for control and prevention, especially vaccination against this hepatotropic virus.
Entities:
Keywords:
Brazil; HBV; amazon; epidemiology; people who used illicit drugs