Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among institutionalized psychiatric patients in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis E virus infection (HEV) remains unclear in institutionalized psychiatric patients.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of HEV infection in a psychiatric institution in Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 754 patients with psychiatric disorders were enrolled in the study. Clinical features, review of patient charts, and interviews with families were recorded for analysis. Antibody to HEV was tested using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.


RESULTS
The prevalence of HEV infection in institutionalized patients was as high as 14.5%. Males had higher prevalence than females. It was also found prevalence increased significantly by age group. When compared with patients 30 years old or less, those in the 31-40 year old age group had an odds ratio of 4.89 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15-20.82], 41-50 years old of 6.30 (95% CI, 1.48-26.83), and 50 years or older of 6.20 (95% CI, 1.44-26.74). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age and male gender were the independent risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Institutionalized psychiatric patients had higher prevalence of HEV infection. In addition, there was an age-related increase in exposure to HEV with males that had a higher HEV seropositivity.
Cheng
Pin-Nan
PN
Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Wang
Ru-Hsueh
RH
Wu
I-Chin
IC
Wu
Jaw-Ching
JC
Tseng
Kuo-Chih
KC
Young
Kung-Chia
KC
Chang
Ting-Tsung
TT
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral