title: Hepatitis E virus and serum level aminotransferases in blood donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a self-limiting viral infection that can lead to severe complications and death. In different regions the epidemiology of this infection varies. In this study we evaluated the seroepidemiology of hepatitis E infection in Jahrom, a city in southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of serum samples from 477 subjects, including 30 females and 447 males. HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were also determined. Four hundred forty-seven subjects were male and 30 were female. Subjects were classified by age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One woman (3.3%) and 25 men (5.5%) were positive for HEV antibodies (IgG and/or IgM). There was found an association between serum level of aminotransferases and seropositivity for HEV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result of this study indicates that HEV is an etiological factor for hepatitis in this area of IRAN. The cost benefit of active immunization in endemic regions should be evaluated because an outbreak could have tragic consequences.
authors.affiliation: Zoonoses Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran; Department of Immunology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sotoodeh Jahromi
authors.affiliation: Zoonoses Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran; Department of Internal Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pourahmad
keywords: Aminotransferase; Hepatitis E; Iran; Seroepidemiology