Antibodies to hepatitis E and A viruses among patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease (CLD) was assessed.


METHODS
Antibody levels to HEV (anti-HEV) and HAV (anti-HAV) were evaluated in 100 pairs of CLD patients and healthy controls.


RESULTS
The prevalence of anti-HEV was higher in patients (10.0%) than in controls (0%; p = 0.0001). There was no difference in anti-HAV positivity between patients (95%) and controls (93%). The patient group with anti-HEV was older (p = 0.024) and had more smokers (p = 0.03), having a higher prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (p = 0.02). Patients with anti-HAV were older than patients without (p = 0.0001). The prevalence of anti-HAV in patients more than 30 years old was higher than younger patients (95.1% versus 73.6%, p = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
HEV may superinfect on chronic liver disease in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis A and B.
Tsai
J F
JF
Dept. of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan.
Jeng
J E
JE
Chang
W Y
WY
Lin
Z Y
ZY
Tsai
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies