Hepatitis E virus infection in Thai troops deployed with U.N. peacekeeping forces.
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is thought to be endemic throughout much of the world, particularly where sanitary infrastructure remains inadequate. HEV has been considered a military health threat and has been reported in several military environments. This study determined HEV seroconversion (defined by a 4-fold increase in antibody titers) occurring in Thai soldiers deployed to the HEV-endemic areas of East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as part of the U. N. multinational forces. With an average deployment of 6.4 months, the annualized seroconversion rates after deployments to East Timor, Afghanistan, Burundi, and Iraq were 1.9%, 4.6%, 4.6%, and 3.9%, respectively.
Department of Virology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Khin Saw Aye
KS
Myint
Pochaman
P
Duripunt
Mammen P
MP
Mammen
Narongrid
N
Sirisopana
Wuttikon
W
Rodkvamtook
Robert V
RV
Gibbons
D000346:Afghanistan; D002063:Burundi; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D049648:Timor-Leste; D014480:United Nations