Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has a worldwide distribution and represents an important cause of acute hepatitis. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of HEV infection, and risk factors associated with this infection in healthy individual and patients with hepatitis B and C in Upper Egypt. Samples were collected from different governorates (Luxor, Assuit, Aswan and Sohag governorates) in Upper Egypt. Serum samples from all subjects were tested for hepatitis B surface antigens, hepatitis C virus antibodies and hepatitis E virus antibody using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-HEV positive samples were tested for HEV RNA using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Between March 2017 to October 2018, 358 participants (8.66%) were seropositive anti-hepatitis C virus, (4.75%) Hepatitis B surface antigens positive, 1.2% were seropositive for both HBsAg and anti- HCV and 85.47% subjects were negative both for HBsAg and anti-HCV. The overall serоprevalence of anti-HEV in this study was 9.22%. Serоprevalence of anti-HEV increased significantly with age. Anti-HEV IgM and IgG pоsitive samples were tested for HEV RNA. All anti-HEV antibоdies samples were negative for Hepatitis E virus RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. The highest serоprevalence of Anti-hepatitis E was detected in 15 females (11.45%) compared to males (18, 7.93%). Pregnant wоmen showed highest seroprevalence of anti-HEV compared to non-pregnant women. Prevalence of anti-HEV was higher among community residing in rural versus urban areas (11.02 vs. 5.74% respectively). There was high prevalence of anti-HEV antibоdies in individual users of the river as a principal source of bathing water versus individuals bathing at home. HEV may be responsible for sporadic self-limited cases оf acute hepatitis in Upper Egypt.

Key words: Pregnant, HBsAg, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA, Upper Egypt.