Antibodies to hepatitis E virus among Chinese patients with acute hepatitis in Taiwan.
The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) was investigated in patients with acute hepatitis, and correlated with the clinical features. Sera from 110 patients with acute hepatitis and 60 healthy controls were tested for anti-HEV, antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). There were significant differences in the prevalence of anti-HEV, anti-HCV, and HBsAg between patients and controls (21.8% vs. 0%, 16.3% vs. 1.6% and 58.1% vs. 18.0%, respectively). Anti-HEV was detected in 6 (25.0%) of 24 patients with anti-HCV, 6 (9.3%) of 64 patients with HBsAg, and another 6 (22.2%) of 27 patients with acute hepatitis non-A, non-B, non-C. Anti-HEV was found in 15 men and three women, whose ages ranged from 34 to 75 (median, 57) years old. The median age of patients with anti-HEV was older than that in patients without this antibody (57 vs. 38 years; P = 0.001). The prevalence of anti-HEV in patients with anti-HCV alone (35.2%) was higher than that (11.1%) in patients with HBsAg alone (P = 0.03). Compared to patients without anti-HEV, HEV-infected patients had a higher frequency of travel to a foreign country (P = 0.0001), had a lower HBsAg rate (P = 0.019), and had higher serum alkaline phosphatase levels (P = 0.04) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (P = 0.01). In conclusion, HEV infection occurs in 22.2% of patients with acute hepatitis non-A, non-B, non-C. HEV superinfection may occur in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection.
Tsai
J F
JF
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Jeng
J E
JE
Chang
W Y
WY
Lin
Z Y
ZY
Tsai
J H
JH
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies