title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis E in HIV infected patients in Greece.
abstract: HEV infection is an emerging public health problem worldwide Data concerning HEV infection in HIV+ patients in Greece is scare. The aim of the study was to determine HEV seroprevalence in patients with HIV infection in Greece. We studied 243 HIV(+) patients 214 men (88%) and 29 women (12%) with a median age of 45 years (range 19-83) who attended the HIV unit of Pathophysiology Department of Laikon General Hospital in Athens for the presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies with (EIA) (EIA HEV IgG, Adaltis, Rome, Italy Eighteen/243 patients (7.3%) were positive for HEV IgG antibodies, a seroprevalence that was not different from that described for the blood donors group from Greece There was no difference of the presence of HbsAg, hepatitis C and hepatitis A between the HEV(+) and HEV(-) patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the HEV(+) and HEV(-) group in terms of HIV acquisition, sexual orientation, median duration of HIV infection, ART treatment, or duration of ART. Only the median age of HEV(+) was 52 years (35-78) while that of HEV(-) was 44 years (19-83)(P = 0.03). Only 2/18(11.1%) HEV(+) HIV(+) patients had abnormal ALT and AST values. The seroprevalence of hepatitis E in HIV(+) patients in Greece seems to be the same with that of the general population thus implying that HIV infection is not a risk factor for HEV infection and only age shows a positive correlation with seropositivity.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Laboratory, Blood Bank, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politou
authors.affiliation: AIDS Unit, Pathophysiology Clinic, Laikon Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boti
authors.affiliation: AIDS Unit, Pathophysiology Clinic, Laikon Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Androutsakos
authors.affiliation: Hematology Laboratory, Blood Bank, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valsami
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pittaras
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapsimali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
keywords: HIV-HEV coinfection; HIV-infected patients; hepatitis E