Hf. Seow et al., Seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in the normal blood donor population and two aboriginal communities in Malaysia, J MED VIROL, 59(2), 1999, pp. 164-168
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.