Update on hepatitis B and C virus diagnosis

Palavras-Chave: Dengue; Vigilância Epidemiológica; Sistemas de Informação

COVID-19 lockdowns greatly affected the mental health of populations and collectives. This study compares the mental health and self-perceived health in five countries of Latin America and Spain, during the first wave of COVID 19 lockdown, according to social axes of inequality. This was a cross-sectional study using an online, self-managed survey in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Spain. Self-perceived health (SPH), anxiety (measured through GAD-7) and depression (measured through PHQ-9) were measured along with lockdown, COVID-19, and social variables. The prevalence of poor SPH, anxiety, and depression was calculated. The analyses were stratified by gender (men = M; women = W) and country. The data from 39,006 people were analyzed (W = 71.9%). There was a higher prevalence of poor SPH and bad mental health in women in all countries studied. Peru had the worst SPH results, while Chile and Ecuador had the worst mental health indicators. Spain had the lowest prevalence of poor SPH and mental health. The prevalence of anxiety and depression decreased as age increased. Unemployment, poor working conditions, inadequate housing, and the highest unpaid workload were associated with worse mental health and poor SPH, especially in women. In future policies, worldwide public measures should consider the great social inequalities in health present between and within countries in order to tackle health emergencies while reducing the health breach between populations.

Background: HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) and HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) infections are more prevalent in vulnerable populations than the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in HIV-positive patients (GI), chronic renal failure (CRF) patients (GII) and coagulation disorder individuals (GIII). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2014 to March 2015. Serum samples were tested for markers of hepatitis B and C by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data and accompanying statistical analyses were performed using Epi Info™ 7. Results: A total of 348 individuals were recruited, i.e., 154 HIV-positive, 143 CRF and 51 coagulopathy patients. Among them, more than 66% were men, and the predominant age group was 26–35 years in GI and 56–65 years in GIII. Most patients had more than 8 years of education (66.2% in GI, 60.6% in GIII and 46.1% in GII), with a family income between 100–400 dollars in more than 48% of patients. The prevalence of the HBsAg marker was 3.9%, 7% and 3.9%, total anti-HBc was 28.6%, 55.9% and 31.4%, and anti-HCV was 1.3%, 12.6% and 47% for GI, GII and GIII, respectively. However, the prevalence of anti-HBs was greater than 70% in all groups. Conclusions: This study shows a high prevalence of HBV and HCV among specific groups compared to the general population. Factors such as age, income, number of sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease burden, blood transfusion history or blood products and blood transfusions before 1994 were associated with a higher prevalence for these infections.

Multimorbidity is a global health issue impacting the quality of life of all ages. Multimorbidity with a mental disorder is little studied and is likely to have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a survey of 14,007 respondents living in Brazil to investigate whether people who already had at least one chronic medical condition had more depression and anxiety symptoms during social distancing in 2020. Generalized linear models and structural equation modelling were used to estimate the effects. A 19 % and 15 % increase in depressive symptoms were found in females and males, respectively, for each unit of increase in the observed value of reported chronic disease. Older subjects presented fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. There was a 16 % increase in anxiety symptoms in females for each unit increase in the reported chronic disease variable and a 14 % increase in males. Younger subjects were more affected by anxiety symptoms in a dose-response fashion. High income was significantly related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms in both males and females. Physical activity was significantly associated with fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Structural equation modelling confirmed these results and provided further insight into the hypothesised paths.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic condition characterized by glucose intolerance, which manifests or is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. Hyperglycemia associated with GDM can induce a systemic and local inflammatory environment, directly affecting the maternal–fetal interface, particularly the placenta. The placenta, in turn, plays a central role in immune modulation and can alter cytokine and immune cell expression in response to metabolic stress. This study aimed to evaluate levels of inflammatory cytokines and the profiles of type 1 (M1) and type 2 (M2) macrophages in placentas from pregnant women with GDM. Forty placental samples were analyzed and divided into two groups: pregnant women with GDM (n = 20) and normoglycemic pregnant women (n = 20). The villous and extravillous portions were separated and analyzed for cytokine levels by flow cytometry and for macrophage immunophenotyping. The results showed a significant increase in IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12P70 levels in the placentas of mothers with GDM, whereas IL-1β and TNF-α were reduced in the extravillous portion of this group. In addition, a higher percentage of CD14+ cells and M2 macrophages was observed, especially in the villous portion of the placentas of pregnant women with GDM. These findings suggest that gestational hyperglycemia modulates the placental immune response, altering cytokine levels and macrophage polarization patterns. GDM influences the placental immunological microenvironment, which can contribute to alterations in placental function and increased risks to fetal development. The data underscore the placenta’s role as an immunoregulatory organ and highlight the need for greater attention to inflammation associated with GDM in maternal and child health.