HEPATITIS-B EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CULTURAL-PRACTICES IN AMERINDIAN POPULATIONS OF AMAZONIA - THE TUPI-MONDE AND THE XAVANTE FROM BRAZIL

Hepatitis B infection and disease are highly endemic in South America. Prevalences of positivity are particularly high in Amazonia, and amon g Amerindian peoples in particular. This paper reports the results of a seroepidemiological survey for hepatitis B virus (HBV) carried out a mong four Amerindian populations from the Brazilian Amazon region: Gav iao, Surui, Zoro and Xavante. Rates of positivity to HBV serological m arkers (HBsAg, anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc) are very high for the four gr oups, ranging From 62.8 to 95.7%. It is argued that the high rates of positivity in the Amerindian groups dealt with in this study, as well as for other Amazonian populations, are related to a complex of cultur al practices which enhance the likelihood of HBV transmission (bloodle tting, scarification, tattooing and orally processed food, among other s). The authors suggest that, due to unique patterns of interaction be tween sociocultural and environmental factors, HBV infection assumes a specific profile in native Amazonian societies. Copyright (C) 1996 El sevier Science Ltd.