TY - JOUR
T1 - Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Autoimmune Hepatitis Patients in the Netherlands
AU - van Gerven, Nicole M. F.
AU - van der Eijk, Annemiek A.
AU - Pas, Suzan D.
AU - Zaaijer, Hans L.
AU - de Boer, Ynto S.
AU - Witte, Birgit I.
AU - van Nieuwkerk, Carin M. J.
AU - Mulder, Chris J. J.
AU - Dutch Autoimmune Hepatitis Study Group
AU - Koek, Ger
AU - de Man, Robert A.
PY - 2016/3
Y1 - 2016/3
N2 - In recent years chronic courses of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection have been described in immunosuppressed individuals. This may implicate a potential role for HEV in the development of autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Here we investigated the prevalence of HEV-antibodies in AIH patients in an endemic Central European country.HEV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and HEV RNA were determined in 354 and 377 AIH patients, respectively. Clinical characteristics and disease outcome parameters were retrospectively collected.No HEV viraemic patients were identified in this cohort. A total of 106 AIH patients (29.9%) tested positive for anti-HEV IgG, and this figure was slightly higher compared to the prevalence in a reference cohort including 5,329 healthy Dutch blood donors (26.7%; P>0.05).This is the largest study on the association between HEV infection and AIH. Apparently silent HEV infection is present in a significant proportion of AIH patients, yet appears not to have significant clinical repercussions in this immune compromised group of patients. Nevertheless, since acute hepatitis E may present with histological and biochemical features of AIH, the possibility of a (concomitant) HEV infection should be considered in this category of patients.
AB - In recent years chronic courses of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection have been described in immunosuppressed individuals. This may implicate a potential role for HEV in the development of autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Here we investigated the prevalence of HEV-antibodies in AIH patients in an endemic Central European country.HEV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and HEV RNA were determined in 354 and 377 AIH patients, respectively. Clinical characteristics and disease outcome parameters were retrospectively collected.No HEV viraemic patients were identified in this cohort. A total of 106 AIH patients (29.9%) tested positive for anti-HEV IgG, and this figure was slightly higher compared to the prevalence in a reference cohort including 5,329 healthy Dutch blood donors (26.7%; P>0.05).This is the largest study on the association between HEV infection and AIH. Apparently silent HEV infection is present in a significant proportion of AIH patients, yet appears not to have significant clinical repercussions in this immune compromised group of patients. Nevertheless, since acute hepatitis E may present with histological and biochemical features of AIH, the possibility of a (concomitant) HEV infection should be considered in this category of patients.
KW - hepatitis E virus infection
KW - autoimmune hepatitis
KW - anti-HEV IgG
KW - prevalence
U2 - 10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.251.hpe
DO - 10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.251.hpe
M3 - Article
C2 - 27014749
SN - 1841-8724
VL - 25
SP - 9
EP - 13
JO - Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases
JF - Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases
IS - 1
ER -