High seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in the Free State province of South Africa

Sindiswa S. Maphumulo; Dominique Goedhals; Cornel van Rooyen; Sabeehah Vawda

doi:10.4102/sajid.v39i1.577

Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases (Mar 2024)

High seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in the Free State province of South Africa

Sindiswa S. Maphumulo,
Dominique Goedhals,
Cornel van Rooyen,
Sabeehah Vawda

Affiliations

Sindiswa S. Maphumulo: Department of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; and Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, Bloemfontein
Dominique Goedhals: Department of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, Bloemfontein, South Africa; and Department of Virology, PathCare Laboratory, Pretoria
Cornel van Rooyen: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
Sabeehah Vawda: Department of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service, Bloemfontein, South Africa; and Department of Virology, PathCare Laboratory, Pretoria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v39i1.577
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 39, no. 1
pp. e1 – e4

Abstract

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The seroepidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in South Africa is limited. We investigated anti-HEV IgM and IgG, in residual hepatitis A, B, and C negative serology specimens, at our public sector Free State (FS) laboratory. Of 299 specimens (01 May–31 October 2020), 182/299 (60.9%) had anti-HEV IgG and 1/299 (0.33%) had anti-HEV IgM. High HEV seroprevalence across different age groups suggests a different epidemiology in the FS, necessitating further research. Contribution: The need for HEV research in South Africa is highlighted. Clinicians should consider HEV in their differential diagnosis of patients with hepatitis.

Published in Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 2312-0053 (Print); 2313-1810 (Online)
Publisher: AOSIS
Country of publisher: South Africa
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases
Website: https://sajid.co.za

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