1. Hepatitis B, C, and D and HIV infections among immigrants from Equatorial Guinea living in Spain.
- Author
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Rivas P, Herrero MD, Poveda E, Madejón A, Treviño A, Gutiérrez M, Ladrón de Guevara C, Lago M, de Mendoza C, Soriano V, and Puente S
- Subjects
- Adult, Biomarkers blood, Coinfection diagnosis, Coinfection ethnology, Coinfection virology, Equatorial Guinea ethnology, Female, HIV Infections diagnosis, HIV Infections virology, Hepatitis Antibodies blood, Hepatitis B, Chronic diagnosis, Hepatitis B, Chronic virology, Hepatitis C, Chronic diagnosis, Hepatitis C, Chronic virology, Hepatitis D diagnosis, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Spain epidemiology, Time Factors, Viral Load, Viremia ethnology, Viremia virology, Young Adult, Emigrants and Immigrants, HIV Infections ethnology, Hepatitis B, Chronic ethnology, Hepatitis C, Chronic ethnology, Hepatitis D ethnology
- Abstract
A total of 1,220 subjects from Equatorial Guinea living in Spain (median age = 41 years; 453 male and 767 female) was examined for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B (HBV), C (HCV), and D (HDV) viruses. Extracted RNA and DNA from the positive samples were used to quantify viral load. The prevalence of HIV antibodies, HCV RNA, and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) was 10.8% (N = 132), 11.6% (N = 141), and 7.9% (N = 96), respectively. The most prevalent HIV variant was CRF02_AG (38.5%; N = 40). HCV genotype 4 (60%; N = 36) and HBV genotype A3 (32%; N = 8) were the hepatitis variants most frequently found. Superinfection with HDV was seen in 20.9% (N = 24) of HBsAg carriers. A control group of 276 immigrants from other sub-Saharan countries showed similar rates of HIV and HBsAg, although no HCV cases were found. Immigrants constitute a major source of HIV and hepatitis viruses in Spain; therefore, it is important that control measures are intensified. more...
- Published
- 2013
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