Seroepidemiological Profile of Infections by Hepatitis Viruses and Population Native to the State of Rondonia, Western Amazonia

Context: Studies on the prevalence of hepatitis E (HEV) in Brazil show that rates vary between 1% and 38%. However, epidemiological surveys about the virus are still scarce and limited, especially in the Western Amazon, where difficult access to health services and lack of basic sanitation systems favour the transmission of oral-fecal pathologies, including the HEV.

Goal: Determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis virus causes infections and two native populations of the Western Amazon, indigenous and riverside communities.

Methods: Intravenous blood sample was collected from indigenous and residing in Riverside City of Guajará-Mirim-RO, the surroundings of the Madeira River. The samples were tested for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recomWellanti Anti-HEVIgG (MIKROGEM Diagnostik).

Results: 386 individuals participated in the study volunteers, 268 (69.4%) bordering and 118 (30.6%). The prevalence of HEV was 3.4% (4/118) in indigenous populations. Between riparians, 4.9% (13/268) were reagents for Anti-HEVIgG, of which 2.2% were over 60 years of age.

Main Conclusions: The detection of anti-HEVIgG antibodies in the native population suggests HEV circulation in the region, contributing to the description from Amazon as endemic to the HEV.

Keywords: Soroepidemiology, hepatitis and native population.