Dawson G J, Chau K H, Cabal C M, Yarbough P O, Reyes G R, Mushahwar I K
Experimental Biology Research, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois 60064.
J Virol Methods. 1992 Jul;38(1):175-86. doi: 10.1016/0166-0934(92)90180-l.
Four recombinant antigens representing two distinct antigenic domains from two different strains of hepatitis E virus (HEV), were used individually to develop four ELISAs designed to detect antibodies to HEV. Both IgG and IgM class antibodies to HEV were detected in 7 of 8 pedigreed serum/plasma from known outbreaks of HEV in Mexico, Burma, Somalia and Pakistan. In addition, specific HEV-antibodies were detected in cynomolgus macaques following inoculation with various HEV strains. Anti-HEV was also detected in 8 of 386 (2.1%) randomly selected American blood donors. Supplemental tests utilizing both synthetic peptides and specific blocking assays provided additional serologic data confirming the presence of anti-HEV. Similar prevalence studies on a limited number of available sera from other geographical regions (Alaska, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Thailand and Mexico) confirmed the presence of anti-HEV in at least 1.1 to 7.6% of the specimens.
