PRIMELE DATE SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICE PRIVIND EXPUNEREA LA VIRUSUL HEPATITEI E LA FEMEILE ÎNSĂRCINATE DIN REPUBLICA MOLDOVA

Octavian Sajin; Marcel Bejan; Adriana Pochin; Svetlana Jubîrcă; Valentina Blaj

doi:10.5281/zenodo.22722632

Authors

Octavian Sajin National Agency for Public Health, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Marcel Bejan Mother and Child Institute, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Adriana Pochin Mother and Child Institute, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Svetlana Jubîrcă Mother and Child Institute, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Valentina Blaj National Agency for Public Health, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22722632

Keywords:

hepatitis E, HEV, seroprevalence, anti-HEV IgG, anti-HEV IgM, pregnancy

Abstract

Objectives. To estimate the seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM among pregnant women in the Republic of Moldova and to explore its distribution across demographic and obstetric subgroups.

Material and Methods. A transversal study was conducted including 256 pregnant women consecutively recruited within prenatal care services. Anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies were determined using ELISA (Dia.Pro, Italy). Seroprevalence was estimated with 95% confidence intervals using the Wilson method. Differences between subgroups were analyzed using chi-square (χ²) or Fisher’s exact tests.

Results. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was 6.64% (95% CI: 4.19–10.38), while anti-HEV IgM prevalence was 5.08% (95% CI: 2.99–8.49). No statistically significant associations were identified with age, area of residence, geographic region, or trimester of pregnancy (p > 0.05), although a numerically higher trend was observed in the southern region.

Conclusions. The findings demonstrate serological exposure to HEV in the investigated sample of pregnant women and highlight the need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance.