Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in a general adult population in Northern Norway

• Published in: Medical Microbiology and Immunology
• Main Authors: Olsøy, Irene Beate, Henriksen, Stian, Weissbach, Fabian, Larsen, Marthe, Borgen, Karoline, Abravanel, Florence, Kamar, Nassim, Paulssen, Eyvind, Hirsch, Hans, Rinaldo, Christine Hanssen
• Other Authors: University Hospital of North Norway Tromsø (UNN), The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø, Norway (UiT), Université de Bâle = University of Basel = Basel Universität (Unibas), Centre de Physiopathologie Toulouse Purpan (CPTP), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Hepatitis; Hepatitis E virus; Immunoglobulin G; Seroepidemiologic study; MESH: Adult; MESH: Aged; MESH: Middle Aged; MESH: Norway / epidemiology; MESH: Risk Factors; MESH: Seroepidemiologic Studies; MESH: Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; MESH: Female; MESH: Hepatitis Antibodies / blood*; MESH: Hepatitis E / epidemiology*; MESH: Hepatitis E virus / immunology*; MESH: Humans; MESH: Immunoglobulin G / blood; MESH: Male; [SDV.MHEP.MI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology/Infectious diseases; Northern Norway; Tromsø
• Online Access: https://ut3-toulouseinp.hal.science/hal-03556760; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-019-00599-5

International audience Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis in many parts of the world but only a few cases have been diagnosed in Norway. To investigate the HEV exposure rate in a presumed low-risk area, we have conducted a population-based study of anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence in Northern Norway. A total of 1800 serum samples from 900 women and 900 men, age 40-79 years, were randomly selected from the 21,083 participants in the 7th Tromsø Study, representing the 32,591 inhabitants of the Tromsø municipality that were ≥ 40 years. All samples were analyzed by ELISA-1 (recomWell HEV IgG). Samples testing positive or borderline, as well as a 1.5-fold excess of negative samples, were retested by ELISA-2 (DiaPro HEV IgG). If still borderline or a result discordant from ELISA-1, the sample was retested by ELISA-3 (Wantai HEV IgG) and strip-immunoassay (recomLine HEV IgG). Anti-HEV IgG was detected in 205 individuals (11.4%), yielding an estimated seroprevalence of 10.4% in the age-matched population of Tromsø. Using logistic regression analysis followed by multivariable backward elimination analysis, increasing age (OR 1.036 per year; p < 0.001) and higher education (OR 2.167; p < 0.001) were found as potential risk factors, whereas travel abroad or eating of red meat were not. Our results indicate that HEV-infection is common in Northern Norway and suggest that HEV testing should be included in the evaluation of elevated liver enzymes.