Seroprevalance of Hepatitis E virus among HIV-1 infected patients in Khartoum

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an enterically transmitted pathogen that causes wide scale epidemics of acute hepatitis in highly HEV-endemic areas such as Africa, Asia and the Middle East. HEV can cause chronic infection and cirrhosis in the immunosuppressed, including patients with HIV-1 infection. Little is known about HEV and HIV-1 co infection in Sudan.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect seroprevalence of HEV antibodies (IgG and IgM) among HIV-1 infected patients in Khartoum, Sudan.

Materials and methods: This was descriptive and cross-sectional study, a total of 92 HIV-1 infected patients were tested for anti-HEV IgM and IgG by, using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), in period from December 2015 to March 2016.

Result: Out of 92 HIV-1 infected patients, anti-HEV IgG and IgM were detected in 21.7% and 8.7% respectively. HIV-1 infected patients complaining of liver cirrhosis and jaundice were 5 (5.43%) and 46 (50%) respectively. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM were 100% and 60% within patient with liver cirrhosis, and 32.6% and 10.9% within patients with jaundice.

Conclusions: Regarding IgG, the overall seroprevalence of HEV among study group was high (21.73%), and interestingly it was higher within patients with liver cirrhosis and jaundice.