Hepatitis B seroprevalence in Latin America.
Rev Panam Salud Publica
; 6(6): 378-83, 1999 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10659668
ABSTRACT
The seroprevalence of hepatitis B was investigated in over 12,000 subjects in six countries of Latin America Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela. Each study population was stratified according to age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were measured in order to determine hepatitis B infection. The highest overall seroprevalence was found in the Dominican Republic (21.4%), followed by Brazil (7.9%), Venezuela (3.2%), Argentina (2.1%), Mexico (1.4%), and Chile (0.6%). In all the countries an increase in seroprevalence was found among persons 16 years old and older, suggesting sexual transmission as the major route of infection. In addition, comparatively high seroprevalence levels were seen at an early age in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, implicating a vertical route of transmission.
Search on Google
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Hepatitis B
Type of study:
Screening_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Rev Panam Salud Publica
Journal subject:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Year:
1999
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brasil