Abstract
BackgroundHepatitis E virus (HEV) is a nonenveloped RNA virus causing hepatitis E worldwide. The increase in transfusion-transmitted cases of HEV infections from asymptomatic blood donors causing serious illnesses among immunosuppressed recipients has been reported in the past few years. China is one of the most prevalent regions of HEV; as a result, it is important to evaluate the risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV.MethodsA total of 1864 serum samples (including demographic characteristics) from blood donors were randomly collected from February to March 2018 in Dali city. Anti-HEV IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies and HEV antigen were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HEV RNA was detected by real-time PCR. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to examine the risk factors associated with HEV prevalence.ResultsOverall, the positive rates of anti-HEV IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies were 13.36% (249/1864), 1.13% (21/1864), and 1.82% (34/1864), respectively. However, none of the 1864 serum samples were HEV antigen positive or HEV RNA positive. Females (16.69%) had a significantly higher HEV seroprevalence than males (13.04%) (odds ratio [OR] 1.34 [95% CI, 1.02–1.75]). Bai (18.85%) donors had a significantly higher HEV seroprevalence than Han (12.21%) blood donors (odds ratio [OR], 1.65 [95% CI, 1.24–2.19] for Bai).ConclusionsHEV showed a seroprevalence among blood donors in Yunnan Province, some of which were even recent infections, indicating a threat to the safety of blood transfusions. Whether to formulate a strategy for HEV screening in blood centres needs further research.
Highlights
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a nonenveloped ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus causing hepatitis E worldwide
This study aims to provide an estimation of HEV prevalence among blood donors in Yunnan, China, to evaluate the risk of HEV transmission by blood donation and to identify the risk factors associated with HEV infection
Detection of anti HEV‐IgG, Anti HEV‐IgM and HEV IgA antibodies enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-HEV antibodies were established by using HEV-like particles (HEV-LPs) as the antigen, which was produced by recombinant baculoviruses [15]
Summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a nonenveloped RNA virus causing hepatitis E worldwide. The increase in transfusion-transmitted cases of HEV infections from asymptomatic blood donors causing serious illnesses among immunosuppressed recipients has been reported in the past few years. China is one of the most prevalent regions of HEV; as a result, it is important to evaluate the risk of transfusion-transmitted HEV. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an enteric RNA virus causing hepatitis E infection worldwide. China is one of the highly prevalent regions of HEV with a seroprevalence from 0.01 to 48% [2]. A very large outbreak of hepatitis E was reported in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region during 1986–1988, causing 119,280 cases and more than 700 deaths [3]. An increase in transfusion-transmitted cases of HEV infections from asymptomatic blood
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