Naslov
Seroprevalence of hepatitis E in professionally exposed groups in Croatia: preliminary results

Autori
Jeličić, Pavle ; Jemeršić, Lorena ; Brumen, Vlatka ; Janev-Holcer, Nataša ; Prohić, Alef ; Barbić, Ljubo ; Tabain, Irena ; Stevanović, Vladimir ; Vilibić-Čavlek, Tatjana

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, ostalo

Izvornik
Book of Abstracts.7th International Congress "Veterinary Science and Profession". / - Zagreb : Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, 2017, 55-55

Skup
7th International Congress "Veterinary Science and Profession"

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 05.10.2017. - 07.10.2017

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Domaća recenzija

Ključne riječi
Hepatitis E ; Seroprevalence ; Profesionally exposed groups

Sažetak
Hepatitis E is becoming an emerging infection in many European countries. The main reservoirs of hepatitis E virus (HEV) are pigs and wild boars, but the virus has been isolated from other animals as well. While some studies showed higher HEV seroprevalence in hunters and forest workers, other did not found significant difference in seropositivity between professionally exposed persons compared to the general population. We analyzed the prevalence of HEV infection in professionally exposed persons from continental Croatia. From June 2016 to May 2017, a total of 62 serum samples collected from hunters and forest workers were tested for the presence of anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies, using a commercial enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany). Initially reactive samples were confirmed using a commercial immunoblot assay (HEV Recomline ; Mikrogen, Neuried, Germany). The control group consisted of 87 unexposed adult persons (general population). No participants showed symptoms of recent liver disease. Overall HEV IgG seropositivity in exposed persons was 4/62 (6.5% ; 95%CI=0.2- 15.7): 3/37 in forest workers (8.1%, 95%CI=0.2- 21.9) and 1/25 in hunters (4.0% ; 95%CI=0.1- 20.4). In the general population, HEV IgG antibodies were detected in 3/87 (3.4% ; 95%CI=0.7-9.8) participants. Our preliminary results indicate that the seroprevalence of hepatitis E among occupationally exposed persons is higher compared to the general population. However, due to the small number of participants, these results should be interpreted with caution. Further studies on a larger sample are needed to confirm this observation, and provide information on HEV prevalence among other professionally exposed groups in Croatia.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA