Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence among Adults, Germany

• DOI: 10.3201/eid1810.111756
• Publication Date: 2012-09-05T17:14:27Z
• Authors: Mirko S. Faber; Jürgen J. Wenzel; Wolfgang Jilg; Michael Thamm; Michael Höhle; Klaus Stark
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Adolescent; Germany/epidemiology; 610 Medizin; 610; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Hepatitis E/virology; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Hepatitis E virus/immunology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Germany; Hepatitis E virus; cross-sectional study; Humans; viruses; hepatitis; Hepatitis Antibodies; Aged; ddc:610; 0303 health sciences; seroprevalence; R; Dispatch; Middle Aged; Hepatitis E; 3. Good health; Immunoglobulin G/blood; Immunoglobulin G; Medicine; Female; Hepatitis E/epidemiology; Hepatitis Antibodies/blood

We assessed hepatitis E virus (HEV) antibody seroprevalence in a sample of the adult population in Germany. Overall HEV IgG prevalence was 16.8% (95% CI 15.6%–17.9%) and increased with age, leveling off at >60 years of age. HEV is endemic in Germany, and the lifetime risk for exposure is high.