Prevalence of and risk factors for antibody to hepatitis E virus seroreactivity among blood donors in Northern California

J Infect Dis. 1997 Jul;176(1):34-40. doi: 10.1086/514037.

Abstract

To evaluate antibody to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) seroreactivity, 5000 US blood donors were tested for anti-HEV by two EIAs: a mosaic protein assay (MPr-EIA) and a recombinant protein assay (RPr-EIA). Overall, 59 (1.2%) were seroreactive by MPr-EIA and 70 (1.4%) were seroreactive by RPr-EIA. The overall concordance between tests was 98.5% (4925/5000); the concordance among reactive sera by either test was only 27% (27/102). In a case-control study, seroreactive persons were more likely than seronegative persons to have traveled to countries in which HEV is endemic (odds ratio [OR] for MPr-EIA = 4.3, P < .001; OR for RPr-EIA = 2.5, P = .005), but 31% of MPr-EIA anti-HEV-reactive persons and 38% of RPr-EIA anti-HEV-reactive persons had no history of international travel. These findings suggest that travelers to regions in which HEV is endemic can acquire subclinical HEV infection. The significance of anti-HEV seroreactivity among persons without an international travel history needs to be determined.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Blood Donors*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Hepatitis E virus / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral