Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in an adult urban population from Burundi

The seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) was measured through use of data from a 1992-93 case-control study of patients with chronic liver diseases conducted at Kamenge University Hospital in Bujumbura Burundi. 97.7% of subjects were anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV)-positive. In contrast the seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG was only 14%. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers were as follows: HBV surface antigen 4.7%; antibody to HBV surface antigen 55.8%; and antibody to HBV core antigen 65.1%. The prevalence for all 3 HBV markers combined was 77.6%. No seropositivity was found for anti-hepatitis D virus among subjects positive for HBV surface antigen (4.7%) or for antibody to HBV core antigen (17.1%). 27.1% were anti-hepatitis C virus-positive. The prevalence of HIV was 30.2%. The presence of serologic markers of hepatitis A B and C virus was not associated with that of antibody to hepatitis E or HIV. Previous studies have found high rates of HEV in areas that have experienced high rainfall and flooding. The relatively low rate of HEV recorded in this study may reflect the fact that most Bujumbura residents use drinking water pumped from the middle of Lake Tanganyika and piped to taps near homes.