Investigations of hepatitis E virus seroprevalence and its role in the acute viral hepatitis etiology on the Kyrgyzstan territory

Lukhverchyk L.N., Alatortseva G.I., Nesterenko L.N., Mikhailov M.I., Kyuregyan K.K., Gukina M.V., Oksanich A.S., Nurmatov Z.Sh., Nurmatov A.Z., Baiyzbekova Zh.А., Kasymov О.Т., Maksytov S.T., Zverev V.V.

Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia
Scientific Production Association «Preventive Medicine» Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Institute of medical problems of South Division of National Academy of Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, Osh, Kyrgyz Republic

Purpose – To study the prevalence of antibodies to the hepatitis E virus (AB-HEV) among the population of Kyrgyzstan.
Materials and methods: Blood sera samples of healthy people and hepatitis patients from hospitals of Kyrgyzstan were examined by the enzyme immunoassay method using the tests «DS-ELISA-Anti-HEV-IgG» and «DS-ELISA-ANTI-HEVIgM» (RPC Diagnostic Systems, Russia).
Results: AB-HEV were detected in 482 of 2279 studied samples (21.1%). The greatest number of seropositive specimens were found in Osh and Batken regions and Bishkek city. Most often, AB-HEV were found in persons of age 1 to 5 years and over 30 years. Markers of viral hepatitis A, B, C and E in serа samples of 236 patients with liver pathology clinic signs have been determined to evaluate the role of HEV in the etiology of acute
viral hepatitis (AVH). HEV (13.6%) was the second among causes of AVH after hepatitis A virus (54.7%). Markers mixed infection with other hepatitis viruses have been detected in 53% HEV-seropositive patients.
Conclusions. A wide prevalence of HEV in the structure of AVH has been established, which requires modification of the current system for AVH diagnosis, including the determination of HEV serological markers, especially in children and adolescents.