Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in multi-transfused patients in Colombia

• Published in: Journal of clinical virology 2005-12, Vol.34, p.S33-S38
• Main Authors: Beltrân, Mauricio, Navas, Maria-Cristina, De la Hoz, Fernando, Mercedes Muñoz, Maria, Jaramillo, Sergio, Estrada, Cecilia, del Pilar Cortés, Lucia, Arbelâez, Maria Patricia, Donado, Jorge, Barco, Gloria, Luna, Martha, Uribe, Gustavo Adolfo, de Maldonado, Amalia, Restrepo, Juan Carlos, Correa, Gonzalo, Borda, Paula, Rey, Gloria, de Neira, Marlen, Estrada, Angela, Yepes, Sandra, Beltrân, Oscar, Pacheco, Javier, Villegas, Iván, Boshell, Jorge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anemia, Sickle Cell; Biological and medical sciences; Colombia; Colombia - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HCV; Hemophilia A; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - transmission; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis C virus; Hospitals; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Multi-transfused patients; prevalence; Renal Dialysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Transfusion Reaction; Viral diseases; Virology
• ISSN: 1386-6532; 1873-5967
• DOI: 10.1016/S1386-6532(05)80032-0

Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a public health problem worldwide, with particular relevance in multi-transfusedpatients given that HCV is principally transmitted by exposure to infected blood. Study design: Between February and September 2003 a cross-sectional study was carried out in four hospital centres in Bogotá and Medellin, Colombia, to determine the risk factors for HCV infection in 500 multi-transfused patients. Results: The study population was distributed in five groups: haemophilia, haemodyalsis, acute bleeding, ontological illnesses and sickle cell disease or thalassemia. Serum samples from patients were tested for HCV antibodies (Asxym™, Abbott). An overall prevalence (9.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 6.4–11.6) (45/500) of HCV infection was found. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 32.2% of patients with haemophilia, 6.1% of patients undergoing haemodialysis, 7.1% of patients with sickle cell disease or thalassemia, 2.6% of patients with acute bleeding and 3.4% of patients with ontological or hematological diseases. The main risk factors associated with infection by HCV were: to be hemophilic (odds ratio, OR = 18.03; 95% Cl: 3.96–114.17), havingreceived transfusions before 1995 (OR = 12.27; 95% Cl: 5.57–27.69), and having received more than 48 units of blood components (OR = 6.08; 95% CI: 3.06–12.1). In the multivariate analysis, only the year of transfusions (before 1995) remained significantly associated with risk of infection by HCV. Conclusions: The data show a 3-fold reduction in the infection risk between 1993 and 1995, when the serological screening for HCVin blood donors was being introduced. A reduction greater than 90% was achieved by 1995 when the screening coverage reached 99%.