TY  - JOUR
TI  - Hepatitis E Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in 
Turkey
AB  - 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.
AU  - Çolak, Dilek
AU  - SAYINER, AYCA ARZU
AU  - Öğüt, Seval
AU  - gökahmetoğlu, selma
AU  - Bozdayi, Gulendam
AU  - ZEYTINOGLU, AYSIN
AU  - aksaray, sebahat
AU  - Aysin, Murat
AU  - Otlu, Baris
DO  - 10.5152/tjg.2021.21071
PY  - 2022
JO  - Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
VL  - 33
IS  - 1
SN  - 1300-4948
SP  - 68
EP  - 73
DB  - TRDizin
UR  - http://search/yayin/detay/523825
ER  -