title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in blood donors and renal transplant recipients: a retrospective study from central Italy.
abstract: Autochthonous hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging health issue in developed countries and is thought to be a porcine zoonosis; its spread is underestimated and there is concern about the possibility of chronic infection in immunosuppressed patients; HEV transmission through blood has also been demonstrated. We conducted a retrospective study (2007-2013) on HEV seroprevalence using stored serum samples from 132 blood donors and 118 renal transplant recipients living mainly in central Italy. Anti-HEV IgG was positive in 12/132 (9.1%) of the blood donors and 12/118 (10.2%) of the transplant recipients. All subjects but one were autochthonous and none showed signs of liver disease at the time of sampling. A significant association was documented between mean age of patients and the serology against HEV especially in the group of blood donors. Our study, albeit limited and retrospective, confirms the circulation of autochthonous HEV in central Italy; the presence of antibodies against HEV in particular categories of persons such as blood donors and transplant patients, who are not screened for the infection, raises questions in terms of transfusion safety and health protection of immunocompromised patients.
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puttini
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Redi
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacinta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tordini
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cenerini
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romanello
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Chirurgia dei trapianti di rene, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmellini
authors.affiliation: Immunoematologia trasfusionale, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fossombroni
authors.affiliation: Microbiologia e Virologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cusi
authors.affiliation: Malattie Infettive Universitarie, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058731:Blood Safety; D046148:Donor Selection; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral