HEPATITIS-E VIRUS-INFECTION IN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS - A SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY

Background. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent for enteric non-A, non-B hepatitis. Transmission is via the faecal route but the possibility of transmission by blood has been raised. Data concerning anti-HEV prevalence among chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients are few and give conflicting results. Methods. We tested for anti-HEV antibody 204 chronic HD patients attending a single dialysis unit. A specific solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay (Abbott HEV EIA) was used. Resul ts. We found six anti-HEV-positive patients, the anti-HEV prevalence w as 3% (95% CI 0-6%). The prevalence rates of HBV and HCV infections we re 39% (31-45%) and 22% (16-28%) respectively. No anti-HEV-positive pa tient showed past or current biochemical signs of liver damage. One of six (17%) anti-HEV-positive patients was an immigrant; no risk factor for anti-HEV antibody was identified in the other acti-HEV-positive i ndividuals. Conclusions. We observed a low anti-HEV prevalence; there was no association between HEV and bloodborne infections (HBV, HCV, an d HIV) in our HD patients; most anti-HEV-positive patients we found we re probably related to a local infection by HEV. This is one of the fi rst reports concerning seroepidemiology of HEV infection in a large co hort of chronic HD individuals.