title: Detection of Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 1 Among Blood Donors From Southwest of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) is endemic in developing countries and reveals significant regional differences. Several studies have reported virus transmission via blood transfusion. To date, however, no cases of HEV RNA detection in blood donors have been reported from Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the presence of HEV RNA in plasma samples of blood donors referred to a blood transfusion center in Shiraz in the southwest of Iran. The HEV genotypes were also investigated using nucleotide sequencing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 700 blood donors who were referred to Fars blood transfusion organization from January to March 2014. Plasma samples were screened for the presence of HEV IgG and IgM antibodies by standard enzyme immunoassay. Samples seroreactive to anti-HEV were further tested for the presence of HEV RNA using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with universal primers for detection of all four HEV genotypes. Positive PCR samples were then subjected to DNA sequencing for further analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty (50, 7.1%) out of 700 plasma samples tested positive for anti-HEV antibodies. HEV RNA was detected in 7/50 (12%) of the antibody-positive samples, the majority of which were IgM positive. Sequence analysis of seven isolates of the HEV RNA ORF 2 gene region revealed > 80% similarity with genotype 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The analysis indicates that the HEV isolated from blood donors in the southwest of Iran belongs to genotype 1. However, more samples from other geographic regions of Iran are needed to confirm these findings. Because transmission of HEV by administration of blood or blood components is likely to occur, it may be sensible to screen donor blood for HEV to eliminate transfusion-transmitted HEV infection when the recipient is immunocompromised.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran; Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University of Science and Research of Fars, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Rahil
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parsa
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Setare
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adibzadeh
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Behzad Behbahani
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farhadi
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yaghobi
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Reza
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Rafiei Dehbidi
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajizamani
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahbar
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Negin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikouyan
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Okhovat
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Samaneh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naderi
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeede
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranjbaran
authors.affiliation: Fars Blood Transfusion Organizations, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Golnoosh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarnegar
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Parnian
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alavi
keywords: Blood Donors; Genotype; Hepatitis E Virus; Iran