Hepatitis E virus: relevance in blood donors and other risk groups.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection usually causes an acute self-limited disease. HEV is associated with feces-contaminated drinking water, but other vectors, such as blood, are possible. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HEV in blood donors and in two groups at high risk of parenteral infections, namely, hemodialysis patients and children infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) via blood transfusion.


METHODS
We investigated the prevalence of anti-HEV in 863 blood donors, 63 hemodialysis patients, and 42 children infected with HCV posttransfusion.


RESULTS
The prevalence rates were 2.8, 6. 3%, and 0 respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
(1) The incidence of HEV in Spain is similar to that in other western European countries, and (2) HEV is probably not transmitted parenterally to children.
Mateos
M L
ML
Department of Microbiology, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Universidad Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
Camarero
C
C
Lasa
E
E
Teruel
J L
JL
Mir
N
N
Baquero
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction