Soroprevalência da Hepatite C em pacientes com esquistossomose

Objetivo: pesquisar o anti-HCV em portadores de esquistossomose mansonica. Metodo: foram testadas amostras de soro de 184 pacientes atendidos no Ambulatorio de Gastroenterologia do Hospital das Clinicas da Universidade Federal de Pemambuco, empregando-se o ELISA de 3a geracao (Wiener) de acordo com as instrucoes do fabricante. Resultados: detectou-se resultado positivo para o anti-HCV em 22 pacientes, revelando uma prevalencia de 11,9%. Entre os co-infectados de ambos os sexos, 90,9% apresentaram aforma hepatoesplenica da esquistossomose e 54,5% ja havia recebido transfusao sanguinea. Analisando-se o passado de endoscopia digestiva, todos os pacientes co-infectados do sexo masculino e 81,8% do sexo feminino foram submetidos ao procedimento. Conclusoes: foi alta a prevalencia do anti-HCV em portadores de esquistossomose, a historia de transfusao sanguinea e principalmente endoscopia digestiva mostraram-se como provaveis fontes de infeccao. Objective: to research the anti-HCV antibody prevalence in patients diagnosed with mansonic schistosomiasis. Methos: serum sample of 184 patients attending the Gastroenterology Clinics of Hospital das Clinicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco were tested for anti-HCV by a third generation ELISA (Wiener@) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results: a positive resultfor anti-HCV was detected in 22 patients, establishing a prevalence of 11.9%. Among coinfected ofboth sexes, 90.9% had presented hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and 54.5% had had blood transfusion. Analyzing the endoscopy in the past, all coinfected male patients and 81.8% of coinfected females had undergone endoscopy previously. Conclusions: the prevalence of anti-HCV in schistosomiasis patients was high. B/ood transfusion and particularly digestive endoscopy were shown as probable infection sources.