Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence and Viremia in Hemodialysis and HIV Infected Patients in Iran

Background and Aims: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is usually a self-limited viral disease that causes acute hepatitis and may progress to chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed individuals. It seems that hemodialysis patients and HIV infected people are more exposed to HEV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of HEV infection in hemodialysis and HIV infected patients in Iran using serological molecular methods. Materials and Methods: Serum and plasma samples were collected from 149 patients undergoing hemodialysis and also 102 proved HIV infected patients. Theses sera were used for detection of HEV total antibodies with Enzyme immunoassay and HEV RNA by Real Time PCR. Demographic and clinical data were obtained and analyzed by SPSS version 16. Results: HEV antibody for hemodialysis patients and HIV infected individuals were (4%) and (33.3%) respectively. No viremia was observed in both HIV and hemodialysis serum samples. There was no association between demographic and clinical data and HEV antibody positive people. Conclusions: This study showed some different results in comparison with other studies in Iran. These conflicting results showed differences between HEV infection in hemodialysis and HIV-infected patients in Iran.