ABSTRACT
We report a human case of rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic Rainforest in Mexico in an adult woman from a small town in the north of Yucatan, Mexico. We confirmed diagnosis using conventional PCR and sequence analysis. Health providers should be aware of clinical manifestations of rickettsioses in this region.
Subject(s)
Ixodidae , Rickettsia Infections , Rickettsia , Adult , Animals , Female , Humans , Ixodidae/microbiology , Mexico , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rickettsia/genetics , Rickettsia Infections/diagnosis , Rickettsia Infections/microbiologySubject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Dipyrone/therapeutic use , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Dipyrone/adverse effects , Dipyrone/pharmacology , Fever/drug therapy , Humans , Pain/drug therapySubject(s)
Humans , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Dipyrone/therapeutic use , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Dipyrone/adverse effects , Dipyrone/pharmacology , Fever/drug therapy , Pain/drug therapyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of antibodies against the hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in a group of patients with hepatic cirrhosis (HC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective transversal and descriptive study was carried out from March 1998 to May 1999. Study subjects were 153 patients; 117 (76%) male and 36 (24%) female, diagnosed with HC. They were attended at the General Hospital Agustin O'Horan and at Regional Research Center Doctor Hideyo Noguchi, in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. A clinical-epidemiologic questionnaire completed by interview was used for data collection. Anti-HCV were detected using a 2nd generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA-2). To confirm diagnosis, a second generation recombining immunoblot assay (RIBA-2) was used. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) and antibodies against the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were determined using ELISA. The presence of anti-HCV was related to the epidemiologic variables of study subjects. The prevalence of anti-HCV was obtained and the frequency of the characteristics obtained by interview were compared among the positive and negative patients through the chi 2 test and the Fisher's exact test, as needed. RESULTS: Among patients with HC (35/117 (30%) male and 14/36 (39%) female), 32% were positive to anti-HCV. Alcoholism was present in all seroreactive males and absent in all positive females (p < 0.001). Data obtained through an interview were not associated with seropositivity. Anti-HBc was found in 16% of patients positive to anti-HCV and in 12% of seronegatives (p = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence found was greater than previous reports in the general population in the Yucatan Peninsula (1.3%). The high prevalence of anti-HCV in these patients suggests that HC is more frequently associated with HCV in Yucatan, Mexico than hepatitis B. Alcoholism probably acts as a cofactor for the development of HC in males.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis C Antibodies/blood , Liver Cirrhosis/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/epidemiology , Male , Mexico , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: En este estudio reportamos la prevalencia de anticuerpos contra el virus C de la hepatitis (Ac-VCH) en un grupo de pacientes con cirrosis hepática (CH). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se hizo un estudio prospectivo, transversal y descriptivo, de marzo de 1998 a mayo de 1999. Se estudiaron a 153 pacientes (117 (76 por ciento) hombres y 36 (24 por ciento) mujeres) con diagnóstico de CH, que eran atendidos en el Hospital General Agustín O' Horan y en el Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Doctor Hideyo Noguchi, en la ciudad de Mérida, Yucatán, México. Se aplicó un cuestionario con datos clínico-epidemiológicos y se determinó la presencia de Ac-VCH (ELISA de 2ª generación y RIBA-2 para confirmar el diagnóstico) a cada paciente. Se determinó también el antígeno de superficie de la hepatitis B (AgsHB) y anticuerpos contra el antígeno central de la hepatitis B (Anti-HBc) mediante el método de ELISA. La presencia de Ac-VCH fue relacionada con las variables epidemiológicas de los sujetos. La prevalencia de anti-HCV y la frecuencia de características se compararon entre los pacientes positivos y negativos con las pruebas de c² y exacta de Fisher. RESULTADOS: El 32 por ciento de los pacientes con CH (35/117 (30 por ciento) hombres y 14/36 (39 por ciento) mujeres) fueron positivos para los Ac-VCH. El alcoholismo estuvo presente en todos los hombres serorreactivos y en ninguna de las mujeres positivas (p< 0.001). Ninguna de las variables epidemiológicas analizadas estuvo asociada con la seropositividad. Los anti-HBc se encontraron en 16 por ciento de los pacientes positivos para Ac-VCH y en 12 por ciento de los seronegativos (p=0.69). CONCLUSIONES: La prevalencia encontrada fue mayor a los reportes previos realizados en población general de la Península de Yucatán (1.3 por ciento). La alta prevalencia de Ac-VCH en este grupo de pacientes sugiere que la CH está más frecuentemente asociada con el VCH en Yucatán, México, que con el virus B de la hepatitis. El alcoholismo probablemente actúa como un cofactor en el desarrollo de CH en los hombres
