NATIONWIDE SEROPREVALENCE STUDY OF HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN PARAGUAY

Le résumé fourni par la source

The full burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Paraguay remains poorly understood due to a lack of comprehensive data. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence and molecular epidemiology of viral hepatitis among a large cohort of blood donors across Paraguay. Serum samples from 85,811 blood donors were analyzed for anti-HBc, HBsAg, and anti-HCV. Additionally, samples were tested for HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA using nucleic acid amplification testing. The overall seroprevalence was 1.35% for anti-HBc, 0.086% for HBsAg, and 0.267% for anti-HCV. We identified significant regional variations in prevalence: anti-HBc ranged from 0.70% to 3.86% (p<0.001), and HBsAg ranged from 0.00% to 0.38% (p=0.001). Notably, no HBsAg or anti-HBc reactivity was found in donors born after the implementation of the national HBV vaccination program. Anti-HCV prevalence ranged from 0% to 0.46%. Age-related differences were significant only for anti-HBc. HBV-DNA was detected in 97.1% of the 69 anti-HBc/HBsAg reactive samples, while HCV-RNA was detected in only 1 of the 229 anti-HCV positive samples. The observed regional differences underscore the critical need for tailored public health interventions and targeted awareness campaigns to address specific local vulnerabilities. This comprehensive data provides an invaluable and reliable baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of current health policies and guiding future strategic interventions, contributing to the broader goal of viral hepatitis elimination in the region.

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