Abstract
BackgroundHepatitis E is caused by two viral genotype groups: human types and zoonotic types. Current understanding of the epidemiology of the zoonotic hepatitis E disease is founded largely on hospital-based studies.MethodsThe epidemiology of hepatitis E was investigated in a community-based surveillance study conducted over one year in a rural city in eastern China with a registered population of 400,162.ResultsThe seroprevalence of hepatitis E in the cohort was 38%. The incidence of hepatitis E was 2.8/10,000 person-years. Totally 93.5% of the infections were attributed to genotype 4 and the rest, to genotype 1. Hepatitis E accounted for 28.4% (102/359) of the acute hepatitis cases and 68.9% (102/148) of the acute viral hepatitis cases in this area of China. The disease occurred sporadically with a higher prevalence during the cold season and in men, with the male-to-female ratio of 3∶1. Additionally, the incidence of hepatitis E increased with age. Hepatitis B virus carriers have an increased risk of contracting hepatitis E than the general population (OR = 2.5, 95%CI 1.5–4.2). Pre-existing immunity to hepatitis E lowered the risk (relative risk = 0.34, 95% CI 0.21–0.55) and reduced the severity of the disease.ConclusionsHepatitis E in the rural population of China is essentially that of a zoonosis due to the genotype 4 virus, the epidemiology of which is similar to that due to the other zoonotic genotype 3 virus.
Highlights
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important public health concern.[1]
Serum samples were obtained from 14,069 individuals who participated in the vaccine trial in two townships [31] to establish baseline IgG anti-HEV values and the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the general population
A total of 1,488 suspected hepatitis cases presented with symptoms and constitutional signs during this period and 359 of whom were diagnosed with acute hepatitis (AH), having ALT levels $2.5 (2.5 to 116.7) upper limit of normal (ULN)
Summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important public health concern.[1]. HEV-infected persons exhibit a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from an asymptomatic infection to fulminant hepatitis.[2]. The virus associated with human disease is divided into four major genotypes[8] and one serotype.[9] There are two distinct epidemiological patterns that correspond to two major viral genotype groups with different host ranges. Current understanding of the epidemiology of the zoonotic hepatitis E disease is founded largely on hospital-based studies
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