Departments of Medicine, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.
Indian J Med Res. 2009 Dec;130(6):709-13.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major public health problem in the developing countries. HEV infection in pregnant women is more common and fatal in the third trimester. The mortality rate due to HEV-induced hepatitis is as high as 15-20 per cent. The present study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of subclinical HEV infection in pregnant primigravidae women.
A total of 300 asymptomatic healthy primigravidae (gestational age 16-24 wk) with no history of jaundice were included in the study. Prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies was determined by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.
The overall prevalence of seropositive HEV IgG was 33.67 per cent among the pregnant women. The seropositivity of HEV IgG was significantly high in urban population (P<0.05), and related with the period of settlement (P<0.05) and source of water (P=0.05). Low socio-economic status of the pregnant women appeared to be the only risk factor (OR=1.96, CI=1.17-3.28) associated with HEV IgG antibody.
INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: In the present study, exposure to HEV during pregnancy was higher in urban (slum areas) than rural population. Socio-economic status was a risk factor for anti-HEV IgG in pregnant women. Early preventive measures if taken, may decrease the maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity of HEV infection.
戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）是发展中国家的一个主要公共卫生问题。HEV 感染在孕妇中更为常见，且在妊娠晚期更为致命。HEV 引起的肝炎死亡率高达 15-20%。本研究旨在确定无症状初产妇亚临床 HEV 感染的血清流行率。
本研究纳入了 300 名无黄疸病史的无症状健康初产妇（妊娠 16-24 周）。采用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）试剂盒检测抗 HEV 抗体的流行率。
孕妇中抗 HEV IgG 血清阳性率总体为 33.67%。HEV IgG 血清阳性率在城市人群中显著较高（P<0.05），且与定居期（P<0.05）和水源（P=0.05）有关。孕妇的社会经济地位较低似乎是唯一与 HEV IgG 抗体相关的危险因素（OR=1.96，CI=1.17-3.28）。
在本研究中，城市（贫民窟地区）孕妇的 HEV 暴露率高于农村。社会经济地位是孕妇抗 HEV IgG 的危险因素。如果采取早期预防措施，可能会降低 HEV 感染的母婴和围产期死亡率和发病率。
