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Hepatitis E Virus: Relevance in Blood Donors and Risk Groups
Author(s) -
Mateos María Luisa,
Camarero Cristina,
Lasa Elena,
Teruel José Luis,
Mir Nuria,
Baquero Fernando
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1046/j.1423-0410.1999.7620078.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis e virus , incidence (geometry) , blood transfusion , hepatitis e , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis , transmission (telecommunications) , virus , virology , immunology , genotype , biology , biochemistry , physics , electrical engineering , gene , optics , engineering
AbstractBackground and Objectives:Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection usually causes acute self‐limited disease. HEV is associated with faecal‐contaminated drinking water, but other Vectors, such as blood, are possible. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HEV in blood donors and in two groups at high risk for parenteral infections, namely, haemodialysis patients, and children infected with HCV via blood transfusion. Materials and Methods: We investigated the prevalence of anti‐HEV in 863 blood donors, 63 haemodialysis patients, and 42 children infected post transfusion with HCV. Results: The prevalence rates were 2.8, 6.3%, and zero, respectively. Conclusions: (1) The incidence of HEV in Spain is similar to that in other Western European countries, and (2) HEV is probably not transmitted parenteally to children.