SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-E VIRUS AMONG UNITED-NATIONS MISSION IN HAITI (UNMIH) PEACEKEEPERS, 1995

Information about the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is sparse in many countries. Following the identification of four case s of acute HEV infection among Bangladeshi soldiers, a serologic surve y was conducted to determine the prevalence of HEV infection among oth er peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) and H aitian civilians. Of the 981 participants in the survey, 876 were sold iers from eight UNMIH-participating countries representing Asia, Afric a, and the Americas, and 105 were Haitian civilians. The prevalence of HEV infection by country (from highest to lowest) included Pakistan ( 62%), India (37%), Nepal (37%), Bangladesh (27%), Djibouti (13%), Hond uras (6%), Guatemala (5%), Haiti (3%), and the United States (2%). Mor e than 90% of those surveyed from Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, wher e prevalence data has been scarce, appeared susceptible to HEV infecti on. Future multinational missions like the UNMIH might also present un ique opportunities to study health threats of widespread interest.