Elderly are at risk of hepatitis C
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
Fabiane Leite
Doctors observed that the infection curve up after 50 years, threatening to express
Hepatitis C is a health problem increasingly present among the elderly, which requires the preparation of health services, say experts gathered yesterday in Sao Paulo for scientific event which marks the 20th anniversary of the discovery of hepatitis C disease. Hepatitis is an infectious disease that can cause liver damage in the long term and is mainly transmitted through sex and instruments infected with contaminated blood, such as nail scissors. Raises 16.5 thousand cases annually in the country
Studies in São Paulo between 2002 and 2003 are, however, that between 50 and 59 years, the percentage of those who have antibodies to the virus (which indicates infection in the past) is 3.8% against 1.4% in the general population.
The presence of antibodies, however, does not mean that all people require treatment. But as the development of hepatitis C is long term and the population is living increasingly, the problems caused by infection such as cirrhosis, esophageal varices, hematological and liver cancer may manifest itself in old age.
The American scientist Harvey Alter, responsible for protein sequencing of HCV for 20 years, said yesterday that the elderly were the most exposed to the main means of transmission of the virus in the past, such as contaminated blood transfusion. "The virus is not Again, he's been here a long time, but in the past were not worried about sterilization, blood transfusion was not safe. Infected people get older and there is greater risk of the disease manifest as they develop immune deficiencies. The presence of the virus for 40 or 50 years begins to cause problems. "
According to the expert stressed, also in Japan and the United States of America the curve by age shows that the presence of antibodies to HCV among young people is negligible, but begins to rise from 50 years and continues to 80, age that many patients find they have cancer. Evaldo Araujo, head of committee of viral hepatitis of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, emphasized that not all patients who are discovered with the virus will need to be treated.
ANTIBODIES
16.5 thousand cases of hepatitis C occur in the country per year
3.8% is the rate of people between 50 and 59 years who have antibodies against the disease - that is, have been infected by the virus - in capital
1.4% is the index in the capital of infection in the general population
Source: Journal of the afternoon
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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