Seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in the normal blood donor population and two aboriginal communities in Malaysia

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been examined i n many countries, but such studies have generally been limited to majority populations such as those represented in healthy blood donors or cross sect ions of urban populations. Due to its major route of enteric transmission, large differences in HEV prevalence might be expected between populations i n the same country but with different living conditions. Using an ELISA bas ed on GST-ORF2.1 antigen, the prevalence of IgG-class antibodies to HEV was examined in three distinct populations in Malaysia: the normal (urban) blo od donor population and two aboriginal communities located at Betau, Pahang and Parit Tanjung, Perak. IgG anti-HEV was detected in 45 (44%) of 102 sam ples from Betau and 15 (50%) of 30 samples from Parit Tanjung, compared to only 2 (2%) of 100 normal blood donors. The distribution of sample ELISA re activities was also consistent with ongoing sporadic infection in the abori ginal communities, while there was no significant relationship between HEV exposure and age, sex, or malaria infection. The high prevalence of antibod ies to HEV in the two aboriginal communities indicates that this group of p eople are at high risk of exposure to HEV compared to the general blood don ors, and the results suggest that studies of HEV seroprevalence within coun tries must take into account the possibility of widely varying infection ra tes between populations with marked differences in living conditions. (C) 1 999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.