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Hepatitis E virus: relevance in blood donors and risk groups
M L Mateos1, C Camarero, E Lasa
1Department of Microbiology, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Universidad Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
Vox Sanguinis
|March 23, 1999
Summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is present in Spanish blood donors at 2.8%. Parenteral transmission of HEV to children is unlikely, with no cases found in children with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) post-transfusion.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Hepatitis E virus (HEV) typically causes acute, self-limiting illness.
- HEV is commonly linked to fecal-contaminated water but parenteral transmission routes are possible.
- Investigating HEV prevalence in at-risk populations is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of HEV infection in Spanish blood donors.
- To assess HEV prevalence in hemodialysis patients and children with transfusion-associated Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
- To evaluate the potential for parenteral HEV transmission in these high-risk groups.
Main Methods:
- Serological testing for anti-HEV antibodies was performed.
- Study included 863 blood donors, 63 hemodialysis patients, and 42 children with post-transfusion HCV.
- Prevalence rates were calculated for each group.
Main Results:
- HEV prevalence was 2.8% in blood donors.
- HEV prevalence was 6.3% in hemodialysis patients.
- No HEV cases were detected in children with post-transfusion HCV.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of HEV in Spain aligns with other Western European countries.
- Parenteral transmission of HEV to children, particularly those with HCV, appears unlikely.
- Further research may clarify HEV transmission dynamics in diverse populations.