Seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG in 182 Polish patients.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emergent disease in developed countries. HEV seroprevalence in such areas significantly exceeds values expected when one considers infection with this virus only as a problem restricted to classical endemic regions. To date, no related data are available in Poland. In this study we aimed to obtain HEV seroprevalence data and compare them with similar data for hepatitis A virus (HAV) in Polish patients.


METHODS
From February 1st, 2013, to October 15th, 2013, we performed anti-HEV IgG (anti-HEV) tests (EIAgen HEV IgG Kit; Adaltis, Milano, Italy) in 182 patients (101 men and 81 women; 61 patients were HIV-positive) of one center in Poland, aged 19-85 (47.2 ± 14.2 years).


RESULTS
We found a 15.9% seropositivity rate for anti-HEV (16.3% of the study population with an unequivocal test result) and 38.5% for anti-HAV. In 6 cases (3.4%), anti-HEV-positive persons had never travelled abroad. In contrast to HAV seroprevalence data, there was no significant difference in HEV seroprevalence between young adults (18-40 years) and older patients (p<0.0001 and p=0.0967, respectively). Anti-HEV were found in 21.3% of HIV-infected individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
HEV infection may occur in Poland. Anti-HAV seropositivity among Polish patients is significantly higher than anti-HEV. In contrast to HAV, HEV seroprevalence is similar in younger and older patients. The clinical course of HEV infection in Polish citizens seems to be largely asymptomatic. Polish HIV patients may be more commonly exposed to HEV than similar individuals from other countries.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
Maciej
M
Bura
Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
Michał
M
Michalak
Department of Infectious Diseases, Jozef Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, Poland.
Michał
M
Chojnicki
Department of Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
Arkadiusz
A
Czajka
Department of Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
Arleta
A
Kowala-Piaskowska
Department of Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
Iwona
I
Mozer-Lisewska
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000276:immunology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G