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Volume 20, Number 11—November 2014
Letter

Hepatitis E Virus and Implications for Blood Supply Safety, Australia

Ashish C. Shrestha, Clive R. Seed, Robert L.P. Flower, Kelly M. Rooks, Anthony J. Keller, Robert J. Harley, Hiu-Tat Chan, Jerry A. Holmberg, and Helen M. FaddyComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia (A.C. Shrestha, R.L.P. Flower, K.M. Rooks, R.J. Harley, H.M. Faddy); The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia (A.C. Shrestha, H.M. Faddy); Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Osborne Park, Western Australia, Australia (C.R. Seed, A.J. Keller); Australian Red Cross Blood Service, West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (H.-T. Chan); Grifols, Emeryville, California, USA (J.A. Holmberg)

Main Article

Table

HEV (IgG) seroprevalence, and risk factors for exposure, in Australian blood donors*

Risk factor No. tested HEV IgG seropositive
 Univariate analysis
 Multivariate analysis
No. % (95% CI) OR (95% CI) p value OR (95% CI) p value
Sex
F 1,453 78 5.37 (4.21–6.53) † † – –
M
 1,784
 116
 6.50 (5.36–7.65)
1.23 (0.91–1.65)
 0.177
–
 –
Age, y 0.000 0.000
<25 564 14 2.48 (1.20–3.77) † † † †
25–34 569 13 2.28 (1.06–3.51) 0.92 (0.43–1.98) 0.827 0.82 (0.38–1.77) 0.61
35–44 510 22 4.31 (2.55–6.08) 1.77 (0.89–3.5) 0.100 1.72 (0.87–3.42) 0.118
45–54 666 40 6.01 (4.20–7.81) 2.51 (1.35–4.66) 0.004 2.43 (1.30–4.52) 0.005
55–64 673 68 10.10 (7.83–12.38) 4.41 (2.46–7.94) 0.000 4.18 (2.32–7.54) 0.000
≥65
 255
 37
 14.51 (10.19–18.83)
6.67 (3.54–12.58)
 0.000
6.09 (3.21–11.55)
 0.000
State of residence 0.580 – –
ACT 406 25 6.16 (3.82–8.50) † † – –
NSW 405 23 5.68 (3.42–7.93) 0.92 (0.51–1.64) 0.773 – –
NT 407 26 6.39 (4.01–8.76) 1.04 (0.59–1.83) 0.892 – –
QLD 402 18 4.48 (2.46–6.50) 0.71 (0.38–1.33) 0.289 – –
SA 404 32 7.92 (5.29–10.55) 1.31 (0.76–2.25) 0.328 – –
TAS 401 20 4.99 (2.86–7.12) 0.80 (0.43–1.46) 0.800 – –
VIC 411 23 5.60 (3.37–7.82) 0.90 (0.50–1.62) 0.733 – –
WA
 401
 27
 6.73 (4.28–9.19)
1.10 (0.63–1.93)
 0.739
–
 –
Overseas travel
No 416 14 3.37 (1.63–5.10) † † † †
Yes
 2,821
 180
 6.38 (5.48–7.28)
1.96 (1.12–3.40)
 0.017
1.24 (0.69–2.25)
 0.471
Previous malaria deferral
No 1,684 74 4.39 (3.42–5.37) † † † †
Yes
 1,553
 120
 7.73 (6.40–9.06)
1.82 (1.35–2.45)
 0.000
1.80 (1.31 −2.47)
 0.000
Previous diarrhea deferral
No 3,179 185 5.82 (5.01–6.63) † † † †
Yes
 58
 9
 15.52 (6.20–24.84)
2.97 (1.44 – 6.14)
 0.003
2.55 (1.22–5.33)
 0.013
Donor status
New 307 13 4.23 (1.98–6.49) † † – –
Repeat 2,930 181 6.18 (5.31–7.05) 1.49 (0.84–2.65) 0.175 – –

*ACT, Australian Capital Territory; HEV, hepatitis E virus; NSW, New South Wales; NT, Northern Territory; OR, odds ratio; QLD, Queensland; SA, South Australia; TAS, Tasmania; VIC, Victoria; WA, Western Australia; –, indicates factor was not included in multivariate analyses.
†Reference group used in respective analyses.

Main Article

Page created: October 20, 2014
Page updated: October 20, 2014
Page reviewed: October 20, 2014
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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