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Published on: March 13, 2015
Risk of hepatitis C among Brazilian ex-soccer players
Francisco José Dutra Souto1, Alessandro Gonçalves da Silva, Fábio Yonamine
1Núcleo de Estudos de Doenças Infecciosas e Tropicais de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Correa s/n, 78060-900 Cuiaba, MT, Brasil. fsouto@terra.com.br
Abstract:
In order to evaluate the significance of injecting vitamins complexes and stimulants minutes before soccer games and its role in spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV) we interviewed and tested 40 ex-soccer players, who played professionally in Mato Grosso, Brazil, between 1970 and 1989. Five players were found anti-HCV positive with enzyme-immunoassay. When re-tested by immunoblot (RIBA), three of these five were confirmed to be positive reacting. The anti-HCV positivity (7.5%) was higher than usually found among blood donors (0.9%) in this region (p < 0.01). None of the players had had prior history of any risk factor that might indicate HCV exposure. We suggest that the common practice of soccer players in the inner part of Brazil in the 70's and 80's, to receive fortifying injections, often with shared syringes, may place ex-soccer players in a potential risk group for HCV infection and warrants further investigation and attention by public health workers.
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