Hepatitis E virus seroprevalence among blood donors in Liuzhou, China / 中国输血杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To investigate the hepatitis E virus(HEV) infection among voluntary blood donors in Liuzhou, Guangxi. 【Methods】 Qualified blood donations in Liuzhou from October to November 2019 were tested for anti-HEV IgG and IgM and.HEV antigen. HEV RNA test was performed on samples positive for HEV antigen and/or anti-HEV IgM. and the test results were analyzed statistically. 【Results】 The seroprevalence rates of HEV antigen and anti-HEV IgG and IgM among 5 751 qualified donations were 0, 26.03% (1497/5 751), and 1.67% (96/5 751), respectively.None of the 91 anti-HEV IgM positive samples was positive for HEV RNA, whereas 60.41% of anti-HEV IgM positive samples were anti-HEV IgG positive. The HEV antibody prevalence varied significantly by gender, age, and nationality (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG / IgM among blood donors in Liuzhou was higher than that in other domestic regions. Significant increase in HEV antibody prevalence was observed among ethnic minorities, such as Miao and Dong, and age group of more than 45 years.Follow-up studies with larger sample size could be conducted to estimate potential risks of HEV transmission by blood transfusion, which may provide references for selective screening of HEV infection marker among high-endemic population.