ANTI-HEV MARKER IN BLOOD-DONORS AND OTHER POPULATION GROUPS IN SOUTHERN CHILE

Little is known about hepatitis E virus (HEV) prevalence in South Amer ican countries. Anti-HEV was studied in 1,773 subjects from 1,360 bloo d donors of 3 cities in Chile, 72 in health care workers, 241 inmates in state jails, and in 100 Araucanian indians. Anti-HEV was detected i n 109 out of 1,360 (8.0%) total donors (6.3%, 6.1%, and 18.8% from the cities of Valdivia, Osorno and Puerto Montt respectively); 9 out of 7 2 (12.5%) health care workers; 18 out of 241 (7.5%) inmates, and 17 ou t of 100 (17%) Araucanian indians. Prevalence of anti-HEV was not rela ted to age and sex. Hepatitis E is an endemic infection in some popula tion groups of Southern Chile, associated to environmental pollution, crowding and low socioeconomic level.