Prevalence of hepatitis E virus antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) among patients with chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C, serum samples were collected between January and December 2004 from patients with chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
There were 190 adult patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 174 with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the study group. As the control group, a cohort of 178 age- and sex-matched individuals without known liver disease was selected.


RESULTS
Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were positive in 26/190 (13.7%) of chronic HBV and 94/174 (54%) of chronic HCV patients. In the control group anti-HEV positivity was 15.7% (28/178). There was no difference in the percentage of chronic HBV patients and control group who were positive for anti-HEV antibody, but the presence of HEV infection was significantly higher in chronic HCV patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that HEV and HCV might share a common route of transmission in our region. We recommend that preventive measures against HEV should be undertaken in chronic HCV patients as superinfection with HEV can cause a more severe pattern of disease in chronic hepatitis patients.
Bayram
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Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey. aysenbayram@hotmail.com
Eksi
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Mehli
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Sözen
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G