Ethnic differences in hepatitis A and E virus seroprevalence in patients attending the Emergency Department, Paramaribo, Suriname. (10th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mac Donald-Ottevanger, M S; Prins, Maria; van Dissel, Jaap; Rier, Neela; Reimerink, Johan; Zijlmans, Wilco C W R; Vreden, Stephen G S; Boyd, Anders
• Is Part Of: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Volume 117:Number 3(2023)
• Page Start: 197
• Page End: 204
• Publication Date: 2022-11-10
• Subjects: epidemiology -- hepatitis A virus -- hepatitis E virus -- indigenous population -- multiethnic population -- Suriname -- tribal population; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trac101
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-9203

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) have enteric modes of transmission and are common causes of acute hepatitis in low- and middle-income countries. HEV is also characterised as a zoonotic infection and is prevalent in high-income countries. Data on HAV and HEV prevalence in Suriname, a middle-income country in South America, are scarce. Methods: Serum samples of 944 and 949 randomly selected patients attending the Emergency Department at the Academic Hospital of Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, were analysed for anti-HAV antibodies (anti-HAV) and anti-HEV antibodies (anti-HEV), respectively. Determinants of anti-HAV and anti-HEV positive serology were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Anti-HAV prevalence was 58.3% (95% CI 55.4 to 61.4%) and higher prevalence was independently associated with belonging to the Tribal or Indigenous population and older age. Anti-HEV prevalence was 3.7% (95% CI 2.6 to 5.0%) and higher prevalence was associated with Tribal and Creole ethnicity and older age. Conclusions: In Suriname, exposure to HAV is consistent with a very low endemic country and exposure to HEV was rare. Both viruses were more prevalent in specific ethnic groups. As anti-HAVantibodies were less frequently found in younger individuals, they could be susceptible to potential HAV outbreaks and might require HAV vaccination.