HEV infection in French HIV-infected patients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

The reported prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus antibodies in HIV-positive patients from industrialized countries varies greatly. It is also difficult to compare these data with the anti-IgG prevalence in the general population because age and sex are not matched in most studies. Moreover, MSM are at increased risk of viral hepatitis.

METHODS:

HEV is endemic in southwestern France. We investigated therefore 300 HIV-infected patients consecutively attending the out-patient clinic of Toulouse University Hospital. Each HIV-infected patient was matched for sex and age with 2 healthy blood donors from the same area. They were tested for anti-HEV IgM and IgG.

RESULTS:

Anti-HEV IgG was found in 116 HIV-infected patients (38.7%) and in 284 matched controls (47.3%, p = 0.027). However, anti-HEV IgG concentration tended to be lower in HIV-patients than in controls. Anti-HEV IgM prevalence was similar HIV-infected patients (3.6%) and in matched controls (3.8%, p = 0.85).

CONCLUSION:

The prevalence and concentrations of anti-HEV IgG in HIV-infected patients from Southern-France were lower than in controls, suggesting a weaker humoral response. But their prevalences of anti-HEV IgM were similar, indicating a high incidence of HEV infection. These data do not indicate that HEV is transmitted sexually.

• Authors: Florence Abravanel, Sébastien Lhomme, Mélanie Fougère, Karine Saune, Muriel Alvarez, Jean-Marie Péron, Pierre Delobel, Jacques Izopet
• Journal: The Journal of infection (J Infect) Vol. 74 Issue 3 Pg. 310-313 (03 2017) ISSN: 1532-2742 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 27998748 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Hepatitis Antibodies
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• RNA, Viral

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Donors
• Female
• HIV Infections (complications, immunology, virology)
• Hepatitis Antibodies (blood)
• Hepatitis E (complications, epidemiology, immunology, transmission)
• Hepatitis E virus (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Immunoglobulin M (blood)
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Outpatients
• Prevalence
• RNA, Viral (blood)
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Sexual Behavior
• Young Adult