title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection in rural and urban populations, Tunisia.
abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the leading agents of acute hepatitis. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of HEV infection in the Tunisian adult general population, either in blood donors (n=687) or in patients hospitalized for acute hepatitis (n=202). The mode of transmission differed between these two populations: contact with animals and living in a rural habitat were the main risk factors for being in contact with HEV in asymptomatic blood donors, while HEV was contracted through contaminated water in symptomatic cases. HEV seroprevalence in adult blood donors in Tunisia was relatively low (5.4%) and increased with age.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biological Agents, Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Neffati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Houcine
authors.forename: Ritter
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: Feki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salma
authors.forename: Dron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anne-Gaëlle
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Hassine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohsen
authors.forename: Braham
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamadi
authors.forename: Ramiere
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Christophe
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patrice
authors.forename: Aouni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahjoub
authors.forename: Scholtes
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caroline
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G