ABSTRACT
Background. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection causes an acute, self-limited hepatitis associated with high mortality in pregnant women. Community-based surverys are scarce and information on HEV infection in populations in needed. The aim of this work was to study seroprevalence to HEV in young adults and children in Mexico, using a community-based survey. Methods. Serum samples from 3,459 individuals were studied; the population included subjects from 1 to 29 years old from all regions of the country representing all socioeconomic levels, IgG anti-HEV was determined by ELISA. Results. Anti-HEV antibodies were found in 374 (10.5 percent) individuals. Seroprevalence increased with age from 1.1 percent in children young than 5 years to 14.2 percent in persons 26 to 29 years of age (p = 0.006). Risk factors for infection included living in rural communities and a low educational level. Seroprevalence was not associated with the level of regional development. Conclusions. HEV infection is endemic in Mexico. Age, type of community, and educational level were identified as risk factors for infection