Examination for Hepatitis E virus in wastewater treatment plants and workers by nested RT-PCR and ELISA

ABSTRACT

Water and sera were collected from four sewage treatment plants whose workers were exposed to raw untreated sewage samples which may accumulate the HEV virus. Two methods of water concentration were used [PEG and U-APB] and the samples were analyzed by nested RT-PCR. The 24 samples [inlet and outlet] of sewage treatment plants were negative for the virus. HEV IgG was detected in 205 workers sera and the age of 20-40 years exhibited the highest HEV IgG infection [50.9%- 50.4]. The highest infections between workers were in Balaks Sewage Treatment Plant and the persistence of HEV IgG was until 60 years old