Published date: Sep 30 2022

Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 17 (2022), Issue No. 3

Pages: 376–386

DOI: 10.18502/sjms.v17i3.12122

Nassir Abakar BabikerCentral Medical Laboratory, Wad Medani Teaching Hospital for Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wad Medani, Sudan

Adam Dawoud AbakarDepartment of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Sudan

Nawal Tagelsir MohamedDepartment of Parasitology, NPHL Research Unit, Khartoum, Sudan

Elhadi A AhmedDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Sudan

Musaab AhmedCollege of Medicine, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates

Mohamed H AhmedDepartment of Medicine and HIV Metabolic Clinic, Milton Keynes University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Milton Keynes, UK

Abdualmoniem O. MusaDepartment Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Kassala, Kassala, Sudan

Nadir Abuzeidnadirabuzeid@oiu.edu.sdDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman, Sudan

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a hepatotropic pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in humans. It is an important causative agent of viral hepatitis outbreaks. This study investigates the serological and molecular prevalence of HEV in blood donors attending the Central Blood Bank in Wad Medani City in Gezira State, Sudan.

Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data concerning demographic information and risk factors associated with HEV transmission. All enrolled participants (N = 300) were screened for HEV IgG antibodies using commercial ELISA kits, then strong positive samples (N = 84) were selected and rescreened for HEV IgM and HEV RNA by RT PCR. SPSS version 24.0 was used for analysis.

Results: Out of 300 male participants, 36.3% (109/300) were positive for HEV IgG. However, only one participant was IgM positive, while the HEV RNA was negative. The highest prevalence rates of the virus were 42 (44.6%) among the age group of 31–40 years, 20 (48.8%) in those who consumed food from outside, 13 (50%) in three to four multiple blood donations, and 5 (62.5%) in those who consumed water from the river source. A significant association of HEV IgG prevalence concerning the occupation of the participants being students or farmers was detected using univariate and multivariate analysis (P-value = 0.007).

Conclusion: High prevalence of HEV IgG was demonstrated among the healthy blood donors in this study. Given the possibility of HEV transmission by transfusion from donors to recipients, we recommend that routine screening for HEV should be adopted by blood banks in Sudan.

Keywords: HEV IgG, blood donors, HEV risk factors, HEV IgM, HEV RT PCR, Sudan

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