Anti hepatitis E virus antibodies in sick and healthy Individuals in Ekiti State, Nigeria

A cross-sectional serosurvey of 186 healthy and sick individuals between ages 3 and 72 years in Ekiti State, Nigeria was conducted for the presence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) using a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit. Antibody to HEV was detected in 25(13.4%) of the samples analyzed. The prevalence of antibodies was greater among males (20%) than among females (11.3%) and increased with age for both sexes from 7.8% among subjects 11-20 years to 20% among subjects 61-70 years old. Five pregnant women (8.3%) and 4 (22.22%) children also had detectable anti HEV antibodies in them. Five (8.3%) healthy and 20(15.9%) sick individuals had detectable anti - HEV antibodies in them. There is a dearth of information about HEV infection in Ekiti State and in Nigeria as a whole thus making it difficult to compare with other states. HEV is likely to be endemic in the study areas as there are no portable water and good toilet facilities in most of the places. The pregnant women and the healthy but anti - HEV antibodies positive individuals suggest that HEV had been in the study area before the study was conducted.