PREVALENCE OF MARKERS OF ENTERAL VIRAL HEPATITIS AMONG MIGRANT WORKERS ARRIVING IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Aim. Determination of prevalence of markers of hepatitis A and E among migrant workers, who had recently arrived in Russian Federation from countries with various degree of endemicity regarding this infection. Materials and methods. Sera samples from 1333 migrant workers, who had recently arrived in Russian Federation from Uzbekistan (n=464), Tadzhikistan (n=415), Ukraine |n=308) and Moldova (n=146) were studied. Anti-HAV IgG, anti-HEV IgM and IgG were determined using commercial ELISA tests. HEV RNA was determined in samples positive for anti-HEV IgM by RT-PCR with degenerate primers to HEV genome sequence coding capsid protein. Anti-HEV IgG were detected significantly more frequently among migrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan compared with migrants from the Ukraine and Moldova (25,4 and 43,1% versus 7,8 and 12,3%, respectively, p<0,05), that reflects the degree of endemicity regarding hepatitis E from regions of origin of the examined individuals. Frequency of detection of anti-HAV IgG also depended on the country of origin - seropositive individuals were present significantly less frequently among migrants from the Ukraine compared with individuals who had arrived from Moldova, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (70,1% versus91,8; 98,7; 99,8%, respectively, p<0,05). Anti-HEV IgM that give evidence on the current or recent infection were detected among migrants from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Moldova with approximately the same frequency - 3,9; 7,8; 5,8 и 6,8%, respectively. Viral RNA was detected in none of the samples positive for anti-HEV IgM that could be related to the short period of viremia during hepatitis E. Conclusion. A significant portion of migrant workers arriving in Russian Federation have anamnestic antibodies against HAV and H EV, and this parameter reflects the degree of endemicity of the country of origin for migrants. High frequency of detection of anti-HEV IgM in migrant workers, that gives evidence on the current and recent infection, allows to assume high possibility of import of H EV into Russian Federation, and this necessitates introduction of acute HEV infection markers into algorithm of examination.

hepatitis A, hepatitis E, trade migrants, viral hepatitis markers