Rates of hepatitis E virus infection and disease among adolescents and adults in Kathmandu, Nepal.
To determine hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection and disease rates in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, serum was collected from 757 healthy Nepalese (ages 12-48 years) during March and September 1992 and September 1993. At each visit, reports of interval illness were obtained. Sera were examined for IgG to HEV, using a commercially available kit. Seroconversion was used as a marker for HEV infection, and an episode of hepatitis E was defined as a history of jaundice with seroconversion. Seroprevalence ranged from 16% to 31% and increased with age, whereas both infection and disease rates decreased with age. Infection and disease rates were as high as 99/1000 and 45/1000 person-years, respectively. These results highlight the importance of sporadic hepatitis E as a public health problem among adolescents and young adults in this region.
Clayson
E T
ET
Department of Virology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand.
Shrestha
M P
MP
Vaughn
D W
DW
Snitbhan
R
R
Shrestha
K B
KB
Longer
C F
CF
Innis
B L
BL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G