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HEV antibody prevalence decreased since 1988
New data from a CDC study indicate that the prevalence of hepatitis E virus antibodies has decreased significantly from 1988-1994 to 2009-2010.
“Persons who live in crowded situations and below the poverty line were found to have a significantly lower prevalence,” the researchers wrote in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “These findings suggest that HEV infection may be associated with relative affluence. However, the nature of affluent lifestyle or behavior that would lead to HEV infection remains to be identified.”
The researchers used data from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 1988-1994 NHANES III. They compared the prevalence of HEV immunoglobulin G antibodies and the HEV risk factors between the two periods.
Among the randomly selected subset of 6,000 samples from the NHANES III study, 5,966 had serum available for testing in this study. Of those, 1,000 were positive for HEV IgG antibodies, for a prevalence of 10.2%. Serum samples were available for testing among 7,885 participants in the 2009-2010 NHANES study. Among those, 490 tested positive for HEV IgG antibodies, for a prevalence of 6%. The prevalence among US-born participants declined from 9.6% to 5.2%.
The prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies declined across all age groups, genders, races, countries of birth and region of residence. There was a lower prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies among younger people, residents of the South, people below poverty level and those living in more crowded conditions. For participants in the 1988-1994 NHANES III, hepatitis A virus antibodies were associated with HEV IgG antibody positivity. In the 2009-2010 NHANES, the only factor associated with HEV antibody positivity was a protective factor: frequent consumption of processed meats.
“Our data show a decline in the seroprevalence of [HEV IgG antibodies] in the United States, but still a relatively high level of 6%,” the researchers wrote. “Whether this decline is a consequence of such factors as decrease in exposure of susceptible persons due to lifestyle or behavioral changes or a change in the etiologic agent over time remains to be answered.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.