Seroprevalence of antibody to hepatitis E virus among Chinese subjects in Taiwan

Abstract

Recently, with an available serological hepatitis E virus diagnostic kit, the prevalence of IgG antibody to hepatitis E virus among Chinese subjects in Taiwan was evaluated by means of a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay based on two recombinant hepatitis E virus antigens. The overall prevalence of hepatitis E virus antibody was 10.7% among 384 healthy subjects older than 20 yr but only 0.3% among 600 schoolchildren and young adolescents younger than 20 yr (p < 0.0001). Serial serum samples from 32 hepatitis E virus antibody-positive healthy subjects showed 84% of them to have antibodies persisting more than 3 to 8 yr. Among patients with viral hepatitis, IgG hepatitis E virus antibody was detected in 10% of 10 patients with acute hepatitis A, in 9.5% of 63 patients with acute hepatitis B and in 13.9% of 36 patients with acute posttransfusion hepatitis C. Of 77 patients with sporadic non-A, non-B hepatitis, IgG hepatitis E virus antibody was detected in 18.9% of 53 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus and in 45.8% of 24 patients negative for hepatitis C virus antibody (p < 0.03). Most of our hepatitis E virus antibody-positive normal subjects and patients had never been abroad. These findings demonstrate that sporadic or subclinical hepatitis E virus infections also exist among the Chinese subjects in Taiwan. Hepatitis E virus infection may play an important role in patients with hepatitis C virus antibody-negative sporadic non-A, non-B hepatitis. IgG hepatitis E virus antibody in the sera of normal subjects may last for more than 8 yr.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among institutionalized psychiatric patients in Taiwan

“…A significant percentage (14.5%) of those patients had HEV infection. The prevalence seems to be higher than those reported from other studies of various populations in Taiwan, including 10.7% of healthy individuals (Lee et al, 1994), 8.8% of volunteer blood donor and college students (Peng et al, 1995), 3.4% of preschool children, and 12.5% of kindergarten teachers (Lin et al, 2004). As comparing with the report from Peng et al, their studied population is similar to ours by the geographic location (southern Taiwan) and age distribution.…”

“…In addition, our previous study showed that GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus infection more easily recovered in females than males (Cheng et al, 2000). Anti-HEV could persist 3-8 years after infection (Lee et al, 1994) and some decay later on. We, therefore, suspect the ability of females to recover faster than males from viral infections infers possible early decay of anti-HEV after infection.…”

“…Serum IgG anti-HEV was measured with a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) (Genelabs and Diagnostic Biotechnology, Singapore) based on two recombinant HEV antigens corresponding to open reading frame (ORF) 2 and ORF3 of the Mexico and Burma strains (Lee et al, 1994). Serologic testing for anti-HEV was done according to the manufacturer's instructions.…”

“…It has been reported that the prevalence of HEV infection in healthy adults was 10.7% in Taiwan (Lee et al, 1994). HEV also accounts for 1-2% of sporadic acute viral hepatitis and 4% of sporadic acute non-A, non-B hepatitis (Chu et al, 1999).…”

Positive hepatitis E and Epstein Barr virus serology in a patient with jaundice after travel

“…HEV-IgG may be cross-reactive or a false positive in patients with acute hepatitis A, B, or C, 11 and thus possibly in other viral diseases involving the liver, whereas HEV-IgM has been described to be falsely induced in patients with acute EBV or CMV infection. 12 Polyclonal stimulation of B-cells during EBV infection resulting in the production of low level HEV-IgM has been postulated.…”