title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among institutionalized psychiatric patients in Taiwan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Pin-Nan
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ru-Hsueh
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: I-Chin
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jaw-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Kuo-Chih
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Kung-Chia
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Ting-Tsung
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral