Ethnic differences in hepatitis A and E virus seroprevalence in patients attending the Emergency Department, Paramaribo, Suriname

M. S. Mac Donald-Ottevanger, Maria Prins, Jaap van Dissel, Neela Rier, Johan Reimerink, Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans, Stephen G. S. Vreden, Anders Boyd

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) have enteric modes of transmission and are common causes of acute hepatitis in low- and middle-income countries. HEV is also characterised as a zoonotic infection and is prevalent in high-income countries. Data on HAV and HEV prevalence in Suriname, a middle-income country in South America, are scarce. METHODS: Serum samples of 944 and 949 randomly selected patients attending the Emergency Department at the Academic Hospital of Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, were analysed for anti-HAV antibodies (anti-HAV) and anti-HEV antibodies (anti-HEV), respectively. Determinants of anti-HAV and anti-HEV positive serology were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Anti-HAV prevalence was 58.3% (95% CI 55.4 to 61.4%) and higher prevalence was independently associated with belonging to the Tribal or Indigenous population and older age. Anti-HEV prevalence was 3.7% (95% CI 2.6 to 5.0%) and higher prevalence was associated with Tribal and Creole ethnicity and older age. CONCLUSIONS: In Suriname, exposure to HAV is consistent with a very low endemic country and exposure to HEV was rare. Both viruses were more prevalent in specific ethnic groups. As anti-HAVantibodies were less frequently found in younger individuals, they could be susceptible to potential HAV outbreaks and might require HAV vaccination.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)197-204
Number of pages8
JournalTransactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume117
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2023

Keywords

  • Suriname
  • epidemiology
  • hepatitis A virus
  • hepatitis E virus
  • indigenous population
  • multiethnic population
  • tribal population

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