ISSN 2756-3413
African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 2756-3413 Vol. 14 (8), pp. 001-004, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Anti-hepatitis E virus antibodies in sick and healthy Individuals in Ekiti State, Nigeria
O. A Adesina1,2*, M. O Japhet1,2, E. Donbraye1,3, T. E. Kumapayi2 and A. Kudoro2
1Department of Virology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
2Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, State, Nigeria.
3Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
Accepted 19 July, 2020
Abstract
A cross-sectional serosurvey of 186 healthy and sick individuals between ages 3 and 72 years in Ekiti State, Nigeria was conducted for the presence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) using a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit. Antibody to HEV was detected in 25(13.4%) of the samples analyzed. The prevalence of antibodies was greater among males (20%) than among females (11.3%) and increased with age for both sexes from 7.8% among subjects 11-20 years to 20% among subjects 61-70 years old. Five pregnant women (8.3%) and 4 (22.22%) children also had detectable anti HEV antibodies in them. Five (8.3%) healthy and 20(15.9%) sick individuals had detectable anti – HEV antibodies in them. There is a dearth of information about HEV infection in Ekiti State and in Nigeria as a whole thus making it difficult to compare with other states. HEV is likely to be endemic in the study areas as there are no portable water and good toilet facilities in most of the places. The pregnant women and the healthy but anti – HEV antibodies positive individuals suggest that HEV had been in the study area before the study was conducted.
Key words: Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), seroprevalence, antibodies, endemic, immunoassay.