TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatitis E virus infection in haemodialysis patients
T2 - A seroepidemiological survey
AU - Fabrizi, F.
AU - Lunghi, G.
AU - Bacchini, G.
AU - Corti, M.
AU - Pagano, A.
AU - Locatelli, F.
PY - 1997/1
Y1 - 1997/1
N2 - Background. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent for enteric non-A, non-B hepatitis. Transmission is via the faecal route but the possibility of transmission by blood has been raised. Data concerning anti-HEV prevalence among chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients are few and give conflicting results. Methods. We tested for anti-HEV antibody 204 chronic HD patients attending a single dialysis unit. A specific solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay (Abbott HEV EIA) was used. Results. We found six anti-HEV-positive patients, the anti-HEV prevalence was 3% (95% CI 0-6%). The prevalence rates of HBV and HCV infections were 39% (31-45%) and 22% (16-28%) respectively. No anti-HEV-positive patient showed past or current biochemical signs of liver damage. One of six (17%) anti-HEV-positive patients was an immigrant; no risk factor for anti-HEV antibody was identified in the other anti-HEV-positive individuals. Conclusions. We observed a low anti-HEV prevalence; there was no association between HEV and blood-borne infections (HBV, HCV, and HIV) in our HD patients; most anti-HEV-positive patients we found were probably related to a local infection by HEV. This is one of the first reports concerning seroepidemiology of HEV infection in a large cohort of chronic HD individuals.
AB - Background. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent for enteric non-A, non-B hepatitis. Transmission is via the faecal route but the possibility of transmission by blood has been raised. Data concerning anti-HEV prevalence among chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients are few and give conflicting results. Methods. We tested for anti-HEV antibody 204 chronic HD patients attending a single dialysis unit. A specific solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay (Abbott HEV EIA) was used. Results. We found six anti-HEV-positive patients, the anti-HEV prevalence was 3% (95% CI 0-6%). The prevalence rates of HBV and HCV infections were 39% (31-45%) and 22% (16-28%) respectively. No anti-HEV-positive patient showed past or current biochemical signs of liver damage. One of six (17%) anti-HEV-positive patients was an immigrant; no risk factor for anti-HEV antibody was identified in the other anti-HEV-positive individuals. Conclusions. We observed a low anti-HEV prevalence; there was no association between HEV and blood-borne infections (HBV, HCV, and HIV) in our HD patients; most anti-HEV-positive patients we found were probably related to a local infection by HEV. This is one of the first reports concerning seroepidemiology of HEV infection in a large cohort of chronic HD individuals.
KW - Haemodialysis patients
KW - Hepatitis E virus
KW - IgG anti-HEV antibodies
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U2 - 10.1093/ndt/12.1.133
DO - 10.1093/ndt/12.1.133
M3 - Article
C2 - 9027787
AN - SCOPUS:0031022764
VL - 12
SP - 133
EP - 136
JO - Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
JF - Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
SN - 0931-0509
IS - 1
ER -