Acute risk for hepatitis E virus infection among HIV-1-positive pregnant women in central Africa

Virol J. 2012 Oct 31:9:254. doi: 10.1186/1743-422X-9-254.

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV), an enterically transmitted pathogen, is highly endemic in several African countries. Pregnant women are at particularly high risk for acute or severe hepatitis E. In Gabon, a central African country, the prevalence of antibodies to HEV among pregnant women is 14.1%. Recent studies have demonstrated unusual patterns of hepatitis E (chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis) among immunodeficient patients.

Findings: We investigated the prevalence of antibodies to HEV among pregnant women infected with HIV-1 or HTLV-1 in Gabon. Of 243 samples collected, 183 were positive for HIV-1 and 60 for HTLV-1; 16 women (6.6%) had IgG antibodies to HEV. The seroprevalence was higher among HIV-1-infected women (7.1%) than HTLV-1-infected women (5.0%). Moreover, the HIV-1 viral load was significantly increased (p ≤ 0.02) among women with past-HEV exposure (1.3E+05 vs 5.7E+04 copies per ml), whereas no difference was found in HTLV-1 proviral load (9.0E+01 vs 1.1E+03 copies per ml).

Conclusions: These data provide evidence that HIV-1-infected women are at risk for acute or severe infection if they are exposed to HEV during pregnancy, with an increased viral load.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Gabon / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • HTLV-I Infections / complications
  • HTLV-I Infections / virology
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / blood*
  • Hepatitis E / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis E virus / immunology*
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Hepatitis Antibodies