Distribution of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) and Hepatitis C Co-infection in Bahia, Brazil

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 21;15(7):e0223087. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223087. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Both Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are endemic in Brazil. In Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia, 2% and 1.5% of the general population is infected with HTLV-1 or HCV. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and the distribution of HTLV/HCV coinfection in Bahia. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Central Laboratory of Public Health for the state of Bahia (LACEN-BA). All samples in the LACEN database submitted to serological testing for anti-HCV (chemiluminescence) and anti-HTLV-1/2 (chemiluminescence/ELISA and Western blot) from 2004 to 2013 were included. Infection rate was expressed as the number of infected individuals per 100,000 inhabitants in a given municipality; municipalities were grouped by microregion for further analysis. A total of 120,192 samples originating from 358 of the 417 municipalities in Bahia (85.8%) were evaluated. The overall HCV coinfection rate in HTLV-positive was 14.31% [2.8 (ranging from 0.4 to 8.0) per 100,000 inhabitants.] Twenty-one (5%) of the municipalities reported at least one case of HTLV/HCV coinfection. Most cases (87%) were concentrated in three microregions (Salvador: 79%, Ilhéus/Itabuna: 5%, Porto Seguro: 3%). Coinfection occurred more frequently in males (51%) with a mean age of 59 [(IQR): 46-59] years. HTLV/HCV coinfection in the state of Bahia was more frequently found among males living in the microregions of Salvador, Ilhéus/Itabuna and Porto Seguro, all of which are known to be endemic for HTLV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Coinfection / diagnosis
  • Coinfection / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • HTLV-I Infections / diagnosis
  • HTLV-I Infections / epidemiology*
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / immunology
  • Hepatitis C / diagnosis
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies / blood
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / genetics
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / immunology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement-Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 and National Foundation for the Development of Private Higher Education (FUNADESP), grants 9600140 and 9600141. Maria Fernanda R. Grassi and Bernardo Galvão-Castro are research fellows of CNPq (process no. 304811/2017-3 and 311054/2014-5, respectively).