title: HEV infection in French HIV-infected patients.
abstract: The reported prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus antibodies in HIV-positive patients from industrialized countries varies greatly. It is also difficult to compare these data with the anti-IgG prevalence in the general population because age and sex are not matched in most studies. Moreover, MSM are at increased risk of viral hepatitis.
  
  
  
  HEV is endemic in southwestern France. We investigated therefore 300 HIV-infected patients consecutively attending the out-patient clinic of Toulouse University Hospital. Each HIV-infected patient was matched for sex and age with 2 healthy blood donors from the same area. They were tested for anti-HEV IgM and IgG.
  
  
  
  Anti-HEV IgG was found in 116 HIV-infected patients (38.7%) and in 284 matched controls (47.3%, p = 0.027). However, anti-HEV IgG concentration tended to be lower in HIV-patients than in controls. Anti-HEV IgM prevalence was similar HIV-infected patients (3.6%) and in matched controls (3.8%, p = 0.85).
  
  
  
  The prevalence and concentrations of anti-HEV IgG in HIV-infected patients from Southern-France were lower than in controls, suggesting a weaker humoral response. But their prevalences of anti-HEV IgM were similar, indicating a high incidence of HEV infection. These data do not indicate that HEV is transmitted sexually.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Laboratoire de virologie, Centre National de Référence Hépatite E, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France. Electronic address: abravanel.f@chu-toulouse.fr.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abravanel
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Laboratoire de virologie, Centre National de Référence Hépatite E, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lhomme
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Laboratoire de virologie, Centre National de Référence Hépatite E, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fougère
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Laboratoire de virologie, Centre National de Référence Hépatite E, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saune
authors.affiliation: CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, F-31049, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Service de Gastroentérologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Péron
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, F-31049, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delobel
authors.affiliation: Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, INSERM U1043/CNRS UMR5282/Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31024, Toulouse, France; CHU Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Laboratoire de virologie, Centre National de Référence Hépatite E, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31300, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izopet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: HEV; HIV; Humoral response; Seroprevalence; Sexual transmission