Details:

Alternative Title:
J Clin Virol
Personal Author:
Furukawa, NW ; Teshale, EH ; Cosmas, L ; Ochieng, M ; Gikunju, S ; ... More +
Furukawa, NW ; Teshale, EH ; Cosmas, L ; Ochieng, M ; Gikunju, S ; Fields, BS ; Montgomery, JM Less -
Description:
Background

Hepatitis E (HEV) is an emerging cause of viral hepatitis mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Residents of the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya are at risk for fecal-orally transmitted infections.

Objective

To quantify the incidence and prevalence of HEV infection among acute febrile illness (AFI) cases using a population-based infectious disease surveillance network.

Study Design

Cross-sectional serum samples from AFI case-patients between 2009 and 2012 were matched to the age and gender distribution of the Kibera population and tested by IgM and IgG enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and nucleic acid testing (NAT). Serum from healthy residents was also tested by EIA.

Results

Of the 482 AFI serum samples tested, 124 (25.7%) and 182 (37.8%) were IgM and IgG reactive, respectively. On multivariate analysis, IgM reactivity was associated with HIV (RR 1.66, 95%CI 1.07, 2.60; p=0.024) while IgG reactivity was associated with increasing age (p<0.001) and HIV (RR 1.93, 95%CI 1.52, 2.46; p<0.001). AFI case-patients were more likely to be IgM (p=0.002) and IgG (p<0.001) reactive compared to healthy residents. The seroincidence by HEV-specific IgM was 84.0 per 1,000 person years, however, all 482 samples were negative by NAT.

Conclusions

Serologic evidence for HEV in Kibera suggests a high burden of infection, but NAT did not confirm HEV viremia. Additional testing is needed to determine whether EIAs are susceptible to false positivity in undifferentiated AFI populations before their widespread use.


Subject:
[+]
Antibodies, Viral
Cross-Sectional Studies
Fever
Hepatitis E
Hepatitis E Virus
Humans
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulin M
Serologic Tests

Source:
J Clin Virol. 77:106-108
Pubmed ID:
26925954
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC4861756
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
Place as Subject:
Kenya
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:b1661fbaa02f51d048ec619ae3bb4555dbd3025d79c450bed4fe7b244b4b5c56
File Type:

Supporting Files

• nihms779899.nxml

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