[Seroprevalence and factors associated with chronic infections among community-dwelling elderly individuals]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Infectious Diseases Epidemiology
• Public Health in Latin America

Background:

• Chronic infections are linked to aging but are understudied in Latin America.
• Understanding pathogen prevalence in the elderly is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes Simplex 1 (HSV-1), Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Helicobacter pylori in elderly Brazilians.
• To identify sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors associated with these chronic infections.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 1,320 participants from the Bambuí Elderly Cohort.
• Measurement of IgG antibodies for CMV, HSV-1, C. pneumoniae, and H. pylori.
• Poisson regression models used to analyze associations with explanatory variables.

Main Results:

• Seroprevalence: CMV (99.4%), HSV-1 (96.7%), H. pylori (70.5%), C. pneumoniae (56%).
• CMV prevalence higher in men, smokers, diabetics, disabled, and those with high IL-6.
• HSV-1 lower in women; C. pneumoniae higher in older adults (>75) and diabetics, lower in women and less educated.
• H. pylori lower in women and those with detectable IL-1β, higher in smokers.

Conclusions:

• High burden of chronic infections (CMV, HSV-1, H. pylori, C. pneumoniae) in the elderly population studied.
• Distinct epidemiological profiles for each pathogen suggest varied risk factors and vulnerable subgroups.
• Findings aid in identifying at-risk elderly populations for targeted prevention and management strategies.