Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence among Blood Donors in Southwest Switzerland
Author Information
Author(s): Kaufmann Annatina, Kenfak-Foguena Alain, André Cyril, Canellini Giorgia, Bürgisser Philippe, Moradpour Darius, Darling Katharine E. A., Cavassini Matthias
Primary Institution: Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Hypothesis
What is the seroprevalence of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) among blood donors in southwest Switzerland?
Conclusion
HEV seroprevalence among blood donors in southwest Switzerland is low at 4.9%.
Supporting Evidence
- The seroprevalence was 5.4% in men and 4.1% in women.
- A peak in seroprevalence of 5.3% was observed in individuals aged 51 to 70 years old.
- The study used a sample size of 550 blood donors to assess HEV seroprevalence.
Takeaway
The study found that only a small number of blood donors in southwest Switzerland had antibodies for Hepatitis E, which means not many people are infected.
Methodology
Analyzed 550 blood donor samples for anti-HEV IgG using the MP Diagnostics HEV ELISA kit.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of HEV seroprevalence due to the sensitivity of the commercial test used.
Limitations
The study did not assess HEV RNA prevalence, which limits conclusions about active infections.
Participant Demographics
332 men (60.4%) and 218 women (39.6%), median age 55 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.5
Confidence Interval
95%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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