SynthesisBMC veterinary research2021
Epidemiology of hepatitis E virus infection in animals in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC veterinary research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection in the Context of the One Health Approach: A Systematic Review.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Pooled it
- Hepatitis E Virus in Water Environments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Food and environmental virology · 2022Pooled it
- Molecular and serological evidence of hepatitis E virus genotype 3 circulation in pigs in Senegal.One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2026Article
- Serological Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Exposure in Free-Ranging Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) in South Africa.EcoHealth · 2026Article
- Hepatitis E virus seroprevalence in South Africa: a multi-site study among HIV-negative and HIV-positive adults and age-stratified children (2-17 Years).BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Detection of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Pork Sold in Saint-Louis, the North of Senegal.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Serological survey on Hepatitis E virus in Namibian dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2024Article
- Zoonotic and Food-Related Hazards Due to Hepatitis A and E in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Environmental health insights · 2024Review
- Butchering activity is the main risk factor for hepatitis E virus (Frontiers in microbiology · 2023Article
- Epidemiology of Hepatitis E.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2023Article
- Hepatitis E virus in pigs and the environment: An updated review of public health concerns.Narra J · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis in humans worldwide and have high burden in the resource-limited countries. Better knowledge of the epidemiology of hepatitis in animals in Africa can help to understand the epidemiology among humans. The objective of this study was to summarize the prevalence of HEV infection and distribution of HEV genotypes among animals in Africa.
methodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE, African Journals Online, and Africa Index Medicus from January 1st, 2000 to March 22th, 2020 without any language restriction. We considered cross-sectional studies of HEV infection in animals in Africa. Study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality of included studies were done independently by two investigators. Prevalence data were pooled using the random-effects meta-analysis. This review was registered in PROSPERO, CRD42018087684.
resultsTwenty-five studies (13 species and 6983 animals) were included. The prevalence (antibodies or ribonucleic acid [RNA]) of HEV infection in animals varied widely depending on biological markers of HEV infection measured: 23.4% (95% confidence interval; 12.0-37.2) for anti-HEV immunoglobulins G, 13.1% (3.1-28.3) for anti-HEV immunoglobulins M, and 1.8% (0.2-4.3) for RNA; with substantial heterogeneity. In subgroup analysis, the immunoglobulins G seroprevalence was higher among pigs 37.8% (13.9-65.4). The following HEV genotypes were reported in animals: Rat-HEV genotype 1 (rats and horses), HEV-3 (pigs), HEV-7 (dromedaries), and Bat hepeviruses (bats).
conclusionsWe found a high prevalence of HEV infection in animals in Africa and HEV genotypes close to that of humans. Some animals in Africa could be the reservoir of HEV, highlighting the need of molecular epidemiological studies for investigating zoonotic transmission.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.