The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of anti-hepa
titis E virus (HEV) antibodies among indigenous Spanish blood donors and im
migrants from developing countries in order to determine whether immigrants
pose a significant risk for the transmission of HEV to the healthy Spanish
population. The seroprevalence of HEV was determined in a cohort of 90 asy
mptomatic immigrants (mostly from countries in sub-Saharan Africa) who had
recently arrived in Madrid, Spain, and in 863 blood donors, who represented
the healthy Spanish population. The results showed that the prevalence of
HEV antibodies was 1.9 times higher in the immigrants than in the blood don
ors (5.5% in immigrants, 95% CI 1.8-12.4; 2.9% in blood donors, 95% CI 1.9-
4.2). Combined with the estimated population figures of 300,000 undocumente
d immigrants versus 39,000,000 Spaniards, these results indicate that sub-S
aharan immigrants cannot currently be considered a major risk source for th
e transmission of HEV in Spain.