ANTIBODIES TO HEPATITIS-E AND HEPATITIS-A VIRUSES AMONG PATIENTS WITHNONALCOHOLIC CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE IN TAIWAN

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver dis ease (CLD) was assessed. Methods: Antibody levels to HEV (anti-HEV) an d HAV (anti-HAV) were evaluated in 100 pairs of CLD patients and healt hy controls. Results: The prevalence of anti-HEV was higher in patient s (10.0%) than in controls (0%; p = 0.0001). There was no difference i n anti-HAV positivity between patients (95%) and controls (93%). The p atient group with anti-HEV was older (p = 0.024) and had more smokers (p = 0.03),having a higher prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C vir us (p = 0.02). Patients with anti-HAV were older than patients without (p = 0.0001). The prevalence of anti-HAV in patients more than 30 yea rs old was higher than younger patients (95.1% versus 73.6%, p = 0.011 ). Conclusion: HEV may superinfect on chronic liver disease in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis A and B.