Spatial variation in risk factors for anti-hepatitis E antibody titers in a population-based German study

The transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 remains unclear. Up to date, it is predominantly considered a foodborne disease. However, there is growing evidence that other transmission pathways exist. The aim of this study was to analyze risk factors for anti-HEV IgG titers in the Study of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 41463 - 13
Main Authors: Díaz, Andrea C., Ittermann, Till, Nauck, Matthias, Petersmann, Astrid, Völzke, Henry, Schauer, Birgit
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 21.11.2025
Nature Publishing Group
Nature Portfolio
Subjects:
692/499
692/699/255
Adult
Aged
Animal husbandry
Animals
Carnivores
Coastal zone
Companion animals
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Foodborne diseases
Genotype & phenotype
Genotypes
Germany
Germany - epidemiology
Hepatitis
Hepatitis Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis Antibodies - immunology
Hepatitis E
Hepatitis E - blood
Hepatitis E - epidemiology
Hepatitis E - immunology
Hepatitis E - virology
Hepatitis E virus - immunology
Hogs
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulin G - blood
Male
Meat
Middle Aged
multidisciplinary
Occupations
Population studies
Regression analysis
Risk Factors
Sample size
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Serology
Shellfish
Spatial variations
Urban areas
Variables
Young Adult
Germany
Pomerania
Companion animals
Hepatitis E
Serology
Germany
Risk factors
ISSN:2045-2322, 2045-2322
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 remains unclear. Up to date, it is predominantly considered a foodborne disease. However, there is growing evidence that other transmission pathways exist. The aim of this study was to analyze risk factors for anti-HEV IgG titers in the Study of Health in Pomerania, a population-based cohort located in Northeast Germany. We performed cross-sectional analyses using quantile and logistic regression. Spatial location was included as an interaction term to explore whether residential location of the participant acts as an effect modifier. The risk factors assessed were consumption frequency of meat, sausage, fish and raw vegetables, high-risk occupation and animal contact. The estimated seroprevalence of anti-HEV IgG was 27.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.0%, 28.6%). Participants living in rural coastal areas had 14.5 U/ml higher antibody titers both for high meat (95% CI 3.9, 25.2; P  = 0.008) and high sausage consumption (95% CI 4.1, 24.9; P  = 0.006) in comparison with low consumption. In urban areas, participants who had contact with domestic carnivores had higher antibody titers (by 12.8 U/ml; 95% CI 0.3, 25.3; P  = 0.046). Our results imply that risk factors of HEV exposure might differ among geographical regions. More research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these findings.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
content type line 23
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26850-z