Serological and molecular study of hepatitis E virus among illegal blood donors

To investigate the seroprevalence and molecular characteristics of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the illegal blood donors (IBDs) of central China in the early 1990s.

A total of 546 blood samples were collected from the IBDs in Maanshan city, a questionnaire was completed by each subject, detailing the age, sex, and periods of blood or plasma donation. Anhui Province and tested for the anti-HEV antibodies. The seropositive samples were subjected to nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and sequencing to analyze HEV partial genome.

The prevalence of IgG and IgM HEV antibody in IBDs was 22.7% and 1.8%, and genotype 4 was the dominant circulating HEV type in IBDs. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was significantly related to sex (OR = 4.905, P = 0.004) and increased with age (OR = 2.78, P = 0.022), which ranged from 13.0% in those < 40 years old to 30.6% among older persons aged > 60 years. Moreover, frequency of blood donation was significantly associated with HEV seropositivity (OR = 2.06, P = 0.006). HEV partial sequences of ORF2 and obtained 3 sequences in serum samples of 10 IBDs which developed HEV specific IgM.

This study helps define one of the possible routes of transmission of sporadic HEV infection and provides guidance to screen HEV in the blood donors so as to guarantee safe blood banks in China.