PROGNOSIS OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS-MANSONI PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS-B VIRUS

A clinical study an the evolution of patients with schistosomiasis man soni has been conducted since 1983 at the outpatient clinic of the inf ectious and Parasitic Disease Service in the Clementino Fraga Filho Un iversity Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil comparing prevalence of po sitive tests for HBsAg, anti-HBsAg, and anti-HBc among patients infect ed with Schistosoma mansoni coming from various regions of Brazil and with different clinical forms of the disease. A non-significant predom inance of HBsAg, anti-HBsAg, and anti-HBc was detected among patients with the hepatosplenic form schistosomiasis, who presented a more seve re clinical evolution with a higher frequency of hematemesis and/or me lena, in addition to the development of macronodular cirrhosis and a w orse prognosis as compared to patients with the toxemic form, schistos omiasis-infection and the hepatointestinal form.