How common were hepatitis E antibodies among the adults studied in Bujumbura compared with hepatitis A antibodies?

Details

In an observational seroprevalence study, researchers used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) in a group of 129 adults from Bujumbura, Burundi.

The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was 14%, much lower than the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus (HAV), which was 97.7%.

The abstract suggests that, in addition to the instability of antibodies to HEV, the extensive availability of good-quality drinking water in the city might explain this difference. This is presented as a possible explanation, not an established cause.

The presence of serologic markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV; 77.6%), hepatitis C virus (HCV; 27.1%), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; 30.2%) was not associated with the presence of anti-HEV antibodies.