HEV Infection in Homeless Persons | CDC EID

EID Journal Home > Volume 16, Number 11–November 2010
Volume 16, Number 11–November 2010
Dispatch
Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Sheltered Homeless Persons, France

Mamadou Kaba, Philippe Brouqui, Hervé Richet, Sekené Badiaga, Pierre Gallian, Didier Raoult, and Philippe Colson Comments to Author
Author affiliations: Centre Hospitalo–Universitaire Timone, Marseille, France (M. Kaba, P. Colson); Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille (M. Kaba, P. Brouqui, H. Richet, S. Badiaga, D. Raoult, P. Colson); Hôpital Nord, Marseille (P. Brouqui, S. Badiaga); and Etablissement Français du Sang Alpes-Méditerranée, Marseille (P. Gallian)

Suggested citation for this article

Abstract
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among sheltered homeless persons in Marseille, France, we retrospectively tested 490 such persons. A total of 11.6% had immunoglobulin (Ig) G and 2.5% had IgM against HEV; 1 person had HEV genotype 3f. Injection drug use was associated with IgG against HEV.

Initially considered a leading cause of acute hepatitis in tropical and subtropical countries, hepatitis E virus (HEV) is endemic to industrialized countries (1). Although substantial data indicate that HEV infection is a porcine zoonosis, more information is needed about the epidemiology and transmission of this virus in industrialized countries (1–3). Homeless persons are at higher risk than other persons for viral hepatitis (A, B, and C) because their lifestyle might include injection drug use (IDU) and poor hygiene (4), but data on HEV prevalence among them are scarce (5,6). In Marseille in southeastern France, ≈1,500 persons are homeless (4). Since 2000, shelter-based surveys have been conducted yearly to monitor infectious diseases in homeless persons (4). This work determined the prevalence of HEV infection in this population.

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HEV Infection in Homeless Persons | CDC EID


Suggested Citation for this Article

Kaba M, Brouqui P, Richet H, Badiaga S, Gallian P, Raoult D, et al. Hepatitis E virus infection in sheltered homeless persons, France. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2010 Nov [date cited]. http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/16/11/1761.htm

DOI: 10.3201/eid1611.091890