Liver - Original Article

Hepatitis E Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in Turkey

Volume 33 · Issue 1 Publish Date: January 15, 2022
Seval Öğüt Ayça Arzu Sayıner Barış Otlu Gülendam Bozdayı Ayşın Zeytinoğlu Sebahat Aksaray Dilek Çolak Selma Gökahmetoğlu Murat Aysın
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Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology

Volume 33 · Issue 1

Pages: 68-73

History

Published Online: January 15, 2022

Copyright © 2022 Seval Öğüt, Ayça Arzu Sayıner, Barış Otlu, Gülendam Bozdayı, Ayşın Zeytinoğlu, Sebahat Aksaray, Dilek Çolak, Selma Gökahmetoğlu, Murat Aysın

Seval Öğüt
Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Microbiology Department, Izmir, Turkey
Ayça Arzu Sayıner
Department of Medical Microbiology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey
Barış Otlu
Department of Microbiology, İnönü University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey
Gülendam Bozdayı
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Gazi University, School of Medicine, Ankara
Ayşın Zeytinoğlu
Department of Medical Microbiology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
Sebahat Aksaray
Haydarpasa Numune Research and Training Hospital, Medical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey
Dilek Çolak
Departments of Microbiology and General Surgery Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Antalya
Selma Gökahmetoğlu
Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Microbiology Department, Kayseri, Turkey
Murat Aysın
Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department, Izmir, Turkey
Öğüt, S., Sayıner, A. A., Otlu, B., Bozdayı, G., Zeytinoğlu, A., Aksaray, S., … Aysın, M. (2022). Hepatitis E Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology, 33(1), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.5152/tjg.2021.21071
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Abstract

Background: Hepatitis E virus is a re-emerging pathogen with an increase in human cases that can lead to chronic infection in immunosuppressed patients. Turkey is located between Asia and Europe, 2 regions with distinct epidemiological and clinical features of hepatitis E virus infection. This multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis E virus infection in liver and kidney transplant recipients in Turkey and to determine the role of possible transmission factors. Methods: A total of 485 plasma samples of solid organ recipients were collected from 7 transplantation centers in Turkey. Samples were tested for anti-hepatitis E virus immunoglobin M, immunoglobin G, and hepatitis E virus ribonucleic acid. Water- and food-related risk factors were evaluated by a questionnaire. Results: Samples of 300 kidney and 185 liver recipients were collected. Hepatitis E virus ribonucleic acid was tested in 472 samples and none were positive. Anti-hepatitis E virus immunoglobin G and immunoglobin M were detected in 84 (17.3%) and 3 (0.6%) patients, respectively. Seropositivity was associated with older age, male gender, being a liver recipient, and being infected with hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus. None of the patients under the age of 30 were seropositive. Hepatitis E virus immunoglobin G prevalence was higher in the Central East and Southeast Anatolia. Eating raw meat was the only independent variable associated with hepatitis E virus seropositivity. Conclusion: This is the first prevalence study of hepatitis E virus infection in solid organ recipients in Turkey. Anti-hepatitis E virus immunoglobin G prevalence was 17.3% which was higher than the previously reported rate in blood donors. Seropositivity was significantly higher in liver recipients. Despite the high antibody prevalence, none of the patients were viremic.

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Article Info
Published In
Journal Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume / Issue Volume 33 · Issue 1
Pages 68-73
DOI 10.5152/tjg.2021.21071
History
Published Online January 15, 2022
Copyright
Copyright (c) 2022 Seval Öğüt, Ayça Arzu Sayıner, Barış Otlu, Gülendam Bozdayı, Ayşın Zeytinoğlu, Sebahat Aksaray, Dilek Çolak, Selma Gökahmetoğlu, Murat Aysın
Affiliations
Seval Öğüt
Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Microbiology Department, Izmir, Turkey
Ayça Arzu Sayıner
Department of Medical Microbiology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey
Barış Otlu
Department of Microbiology, İnönü University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey
Gülendam Bozdayı
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Gazi University, School of Medicine, Ankara
Ayşın Zeytinoğlu
Department of Medical Microbiology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
Sebahat Aksaray
Haydarpasa Numune Research and Training Hospital, Medical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey
Dilek Çolak
Departments of Microbiology and General Surgery Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Antalya
Selma Gökahmetoğlu
Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Microbiology Department, Kayseri, Turkey
Murat Aysın
Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health Department, Izmir, Turkey
Cite this Article
Öğüt, S., Sayıner, A. A., Otlu, B., Bozdayı, G., Zeytinoğlu, A., Aksaray, S., … Aysın, M. (2022). Hepatitis E Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology, 33(1), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.5152/tjg.2021.21071
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