Hepatitis E virus: can it be transmitted parenterally?
Of 200 voluntary blood donors screened for hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA, employing the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), three were found to be positive (1.5%). None of the HEV RNA-positive blood donors had any symptoms at the time of blood donation or during subsequent follow-up. One donor was positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to HEV, with a raised serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, whereas the other two donors were negative for both immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to HEV. Follow-up blood samples collected 2-5 months later from HEV RNA-positive blood donors demonstrated the presence of IgG anti-HEV antibodies. Overall seroprevalence of IgG anti-HEV was 18.6%. Retrospective studies on samples collected from commercial blood donors and haemophiliacs revealed IgG anti-HEV positivity to be 24. 6% (46/191) and 24.4% (22/90) and statistically not different (P>0. 1) from the prevalence among voluntary blood donors and an age-matched normal population, respectively. However, a highly significant proportion of the paid plasma donors, with a high prevalence of IgG antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus, were positive for IgG antibodies to HEV (54/71, 76%, P<0.001), indicating a possible role of blood-derived HEV in the transmission of the virus among plasma donors. These results demonstrate the possible risk of transfusion-associated hepatitis E in hyperendemic areas.
Arankalle
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Hepatitis Division, National Institute of Virology, Indian Council of Medical Research, Pune, India.
Chobe
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014766:Viremia
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral