Abstract
ABSTRACTRat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV) is an emerging cause of acute hepatitis of zoonotic origin. Since seroprevalence studies are scarce, at-risk groups are almost unknown. Because blood-borne infections frequently occur in people with drug use, who are particularly vulnerable to infection due to lack of housing and homelessness, this population constitutes a priority in which ratHEV infection should be evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the ratHEV seroprevalence and RNA detection rate in drug users as a potential at-risk population. We designed a retrospective study involving individuals that attended drug rehabilitation centres. Exposure to ratHEV was assessed by specific antibody detection using ELISA and dot blot (DB) assay and the presence of active infection by ratHEV RNA detection using RT-qPCR. Three-hundred and forty-one individuals were included, the most of them being men (67.7%) with an average age of 45 years. A total of 17 individuals showed specific IgG antibodies against ratHEV (4.6%; 95% CI; 3.1%-7.9%). One case of active ratHEV infection was identified (0.3%; 95% CI: 0.1%-1.8%). This was a 57-year-old homeless woman with limited financial resources, who had active cocaine and heroin use via parenteral route. In conclusion, we identified a potential exposure to ratHEV among drug users. Targeted studies in drug users with proper control groups are necessary to evaluate high-risk populations and transmission routes more accurately.
Keywords:
Rat hepatitis E virus; Zoonoses; drug users; hepatitis E; public health.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Animals
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Drug Users*
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Female
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Hepatitis Antibodies / blood
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Hepatitis E virus* / genetics
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Hepatitis E virus* / immunology
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Hepatitis E virus* / isolation & purification
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Hepatitis E* / epidemiology
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Hepatitis E* / veterinary
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Hepatitis E* / virology
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Humans
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Immunoglobulin G / blood
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Male
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Middle Aged
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RNA, Viral / blood
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Rats
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Retrospective Studies
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Seroepidemiologic Studies
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Young Adult
Substances
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RNA, Viral
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Hepatitis Antibodies
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Immunoglobulin G
Grants and funding
This work was supported by the Andalusian General Secretariat for Research, Development, and Innovation in Health (PI-0287-2019), the Spanish Ministry of Health (RD12/0017/0012), co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and the Carlos III Health Institute (Research Project [grant numbers: PI21/00793 and PI22/01098]. Projects “PI21/00793” and “PI22/01098” were funded by Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) and co-funded by the European Union. ARJ is supported by a contract from the Spanish Junta de Andalucía (Nicolas Monardes program: C1-0001-2023). JCG is supported by the CIBERINFEC (CB21/13/00083), Carlos III Health Institute, Spanish Ministry of Science and NextGenerationEU. MCJ is the recipient of a PFIS predoctoral grant (FI22/00180) from the Carlos III Health Institute and co-funded by the European Union. LRM is the recipient of a “INVESTIGO” research programme grant funded by the European Union NextGenerationEU Plan. DCM is the recipient of a “Rio-Hortega” (CM22/00176) grant from the Carlos III Health Institute and co-funded by the European Union. MG and PLL were supported by postdoctoral contracts Margarita Salas (University of Murcia and University of Córdoba, respectively) from the Program of Requalification of the Spanish University System (Spanish Ministry of Universities) financed by the European Union-NextGenerationEU. JCG is supported by the CIBERINFEC (CB21/13/00083), Carlos III Health Institute, Spanish Ministry of Science and NextGenerationEU. TGG is recipient of a “Ramon y Cajal” contract funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and NextGeneration EU/PRTR. The laboratory of RGU is supported by DZIF Thematic Translational Unit (TTU) “Emerging Infections.” (grant number 01.808; awarded to RGU).