Hepatitis E virus infection in hemodialysis patients: a seroepidemiological survey in Iran.
BACKGROUND
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) has a global distribution and is known to have caused large waterborne epidemics of icteric hepatitis. Transmission is generally via the fecal-oral route. Some reports have suggested parenteral transmission of HEV. Anti-HEV prevalence data among chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients are few and give conflicting results.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted in August of 2004. We tested 324 chronic HD patients attending three different units in the city of Tabriz, northwestern part of Iran, for anti-HEV antibody. A specific solid- phase enzyme-linked immunoassay (Diapro, Italy) was used.


RESULTS
The overall seroprevalence of hepatitis E was 7.4 %(95% CI: 4.6%-10.6%). The prevalence rate of HBV and HCV infection were 4.6% (95% CI: 2.3%-6.9%) and 20.4% (95% CI: 16%-24.8%), respectively. No significant association was found between anti-HEV positivity and age, sex, duration of hemodialysis, positivity for hepatitis B or C virus infection markers and history of transfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed high anti-HEV antibody prevalence; there was no association between HEV and blood borne infections (HBV, HCV, and HIV) in our HD patients. This is the first report concerning seroepidemiology of HEV infection in a large group of chronic HD individuals in Iran.
Taremi
Mahnaz
M
National Research Department of Foodborne Diseases, The Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Taleghani Hospital, Tabnak St., Evin, Tehran, Iran. mmtaremi@yahoo.com
Khoshbaten
Manouchehr
M
Gachkar
Latif
L
EhsaniArdakani
MohammadJavad
M
Zali
MohammadReza
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral