In the present study we aim to test the hypothesis that the reservoir of HEV in the Netherlands are animals that are bred for meat consumption. Therefore we want to compare the HEV seroprevalence in vegetarians and in people with a very low meat/…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Hepatic and hepatobiliary disorders
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Primairy outcome is the seroprevalence of HEV antibodies IgG en IgM in blood
plasma
Risk factors for HEV antibodies will be assessed by using a structured
questionnaire, focussing on consumption of meat/ (shell)fish.
Data and antibody status will be compared to available data of the controll
groups of the larger study.
Secondary outcome
Not applicable
Background summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a recently discovered virus that infects the liver
and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. An HEV infection is usually mild
or without symptoms but it may infrequently lead to severe disease and
complications, especially in chronically infected patients with
immune-suppression, or in pregnant women.
Several countries in the world have endemic HEV transmission with a high
seroprevalence (presence of IgG antibodies) to HEV. Epidemic outbreaks usually
occur in these countries due to bad hygienic conditions and contaminated water.
In Western countries sporadic cases are reported.
There is only one serotype but there are 4 genotypes of HEV which belongs to
the genus Hepevirus. Genotypes 1 and 2 are so far strictly found in humans and
mostly in endemic countries, whereas genotypes 3 and 4 are also found in
animals such as pigs and wild boars, but also (shell)fish, in western
countries. Since sequences of genotypes 3 and 4 are identical in animals and
men it is speculated that HEV is a zoonosis for these types in western
countries such as the Netherlands.
Study objective
In the present study we aim to test the hypothesis that the reservoir of HEV in
the Netherlands are animals that are bred for meat consumption. Therefore we
want to compare the HEV seroprevalence in vegetarians and in people with a
very low meat/ fish consumption with that of the general population (blood
donors) and to that of a selected population of various ethnicities in
Amsterdam (Helius study) and to immunocompromised persons, such as the
HIV-infected persons from the Amsterdam Cohort studies. The controll groups are
nor part of this study proposal..
Study design
In addition to collecting one (plasma)- blood sample we will also collect data
on the participant using a structured questionnaire
Study burden and risks
Risk is minimal: drawing of one sample of blood might yield a bruise.
Benefit for the individual participant is to provide data that might indicate
that their lifestyle of a vegetarian diet protects against some infectious
disease, in this case hepatitis E virus.
Nieuwe Achtergracht 100
Amsterdam 1018 WT
NL
Nieuwe Achtergracht 100
Amsterdam 1018 WT
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Male or female
18 years or older
Since 12 years of age or since last 10 years vegetarian, veganist, flexitarian
Written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
To consume more meat/ fish than once per week
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL50095.018.14 |