Adjei Andrew A, Tettey Yao, Aviyase John T, Adu-Gyamfi Clement, Obed Samuel, Mingle Julius A A, Ayeh-Kumi Patrick F, Adiku Theophilus K
Department of Pathology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Virol J. 2009 Jul 20;6:108. doi: 10.1186/1743-422X-6-108.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is highly endemic in several African countries with high mortality rate among pregnant women. The prevalence of antibodies to HEV in Ghana is not known. Therefore we evaluated the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM among pregnant women seen between the months of January and May, 2008 at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
One hundred and fifty-seven women provided blood samples for unlinked anonymous testing for the presence of antibodies to HEV. The median age of participants was 28.89 +/- 5.76 years (range 13-42 years). Of the 157 women tested, HEV seroprevelance was 28.66% (45/157). Among the seropositive women, 64.40% (29/45) tested positive for anti-HEV IgM while 35.60% (16/45) tested positive to HEV IgG antibodies. HEV seroprevalence was highest (46.15%) among women 21-25 years of age, followed by 42.82% in = 20 year group, then 36.84% in = 36 year group. Of the 157 women, 75.79% and 22.92% were in their third and second trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Anti-HEV antibodies detected in women in their third trimester of pregnancy (30.25%) was significantly higher, P < 0.05, than in women in their second trimester of pregnancy (25.0%).
Consistent with similar studies worldwide, the results of our studies revealed a high prevalence of HEV infection in pregnant women.
戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）在几个非洲国家高度流行，在孕妇中的死亡率很高。加纳戊型肝炎病毒抗体的流行情况尚不清楚。因此，我们评估了2008年1月至5月期间在加纳阿克拉科勒布教学医院妇产科就诊的孕妇中抗HEV IgG和抗HEV IgM的流行情况。
157名妇女提供了血液样本，用于进行不关联的匿名检测以检测戊型肝炎病毒抗体。参与者的中位年龄为28.89±5.76岁（范围13 - 42岁）。在157名接受检测的妇女中，戊型肝炎病毒血清流行率为28.66%（45/157）。在血清阳性妇女中，64.40%（29/45）抗HEV IgM检测呈阳性，而35.60%（16/45）抗HEV IgG抗体检测呈阳性。戊型肝炎病毒血清流行率在21 - 25岁的妇女中最高（46.15%），其次是20岁及以下组为42.82%，然后是36岁及以上组为36.84%。在157名妇女中，分别有75.79%和22.92%处于妊娠晚期和中期。妊娠晚期妇女中检测到的抗HEV抗体（30.25%）显著高于，P < 0.05，妊娠中期妇女（25.0%）。
与全球类似研究一致，我们的研究结果显示孕妇中戊型肝炎病毒感染的流行率很高。
