Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among institutionalized psychiatric patients in Taiwan
Received 22 February 2006; received in revised form 13 June 2006; accepted 8 September 2006. published online 30 October 2006.
Abstract
Background
Hepatitis E virus infection (HEV) remains unclear in institutionalized psychiatric patients.
Objectives
To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of HEV infection in a psychiatric institution in Taiwan.
Study design
A total of 754 patients with psychiatric disorders were enrolled in the study. Clinical features, review of patient charts, and interviews with families were recorded for analysis. Antibody to HEV was tested using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Results
The prevalence of HEV infection in institutionalized patients was as high as 14.5%. Males had higher prevalence than females. It was also found prevalence increased significantly by age group. When compared with patients 30 years old or less, those in the 31–40 year old age group had an odds ratio of 4.89 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–20.82], 41–50 years old of 6.30 (95% CI, 1.48–26.83), and 50 years or older of 6.20 (95% CI, 1.44–26.74). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age and male gender were the independent risk factors.
Conclusions
Institutionalized psychiatric patients had higher prevalence of HEV infection. In addition, there was an age-related increase in exposure to HEV with males that had a higher HEV seropositivity.
aDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
bDepartment of Family Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
cDepartment of Medical Research and Education, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, ROC
dDepartment of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, ROC
eDepartment of Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
fDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
Corresponding author at: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan, ROC. Tel.: +886 6 2766116; fax: +886 6 2347270.
ABSTRACT