Gastroenterol Res

Gastroenterology Research, ISSN 1918-2805 print, 1918-2813 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, Gastroenterol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.gastrores.org

Original Article

Volume 14, Number 2, April 2021, pages 96-103

Hepatitis E Virus Infection and Butchers: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study

**Table 1.** Stratification by Sex, Age and Residence in Butchers and Controls and Seropositivity to HEV
Characteristic	Cases	Controls	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval	P value
HEV: hepatitis E virus.
Sex
Male	84	17	20.2	84	13	15.5	1.38	0.62 - 3.07	0.42
Female	17	1	5.9	17	1	5.9	1.00	0.05 - 17.41	1.00
Age (years)
≤ 30	29	2	6.9	32	2	6.3	1.11	0.14 - 8.44	1.00
31 - 50	52	10	19.2	45	6	13.3	1.54	0.51 - 4.65	0.43
> 50	20	6	30.0	24	6	25.0	1.28	0.34 - 4.86	0.71
Residence
Urban	76	12	15.8	76	4	5.3	3.37	1.03 - 10.99	0.06
Rural	25	6	24	25	10	40.0	0.47	0.14 - 1.60	0.22

Table 1. Stratification by Sex, Age and Residence in Butchers and Controls and Seropositivity to HEV

Characteristic

Cases

Controls

Odds ratio

95% confidence interval

P value

No. of tested

Seropositivity to HEV

No. of tested

Seropositivity to HEV

No.

HEV: hepatitis E virus.

Sex

Male

20.2

15.5

1.38

0.62 - 3.07

0.42

Female

5.9

1.00

0.05 - 17.41

1.00

Age (years)

≤ 30

6.9

6.3

1.11

0.14 - 8.44

1.00

31 - 50

19.2

13.3

1.54

0.51 - 4.65

0.43

> 50

30.0

25.0

1.28

0.34 - 4.86

0.71

Residence

Urban

15.8

5.3

3.37

1.03 - 10.99

0.06

Rural

40.0

0.47

0.14 - 1.60

0.22

**Table 2.** Sociodemographic Characteristics of Butchers and Seroprevalence of HEV Infection
Characteristic	No. of subjects tested	Prevalence of HEV infection	P value
HEV: hepatitis E virus.
Age groups (years)
30 or less	29	2	6.9	0.10
31 - 50	52	10	19.2
> 50	20	6	30.0
Gender
Male	84	17	20.2	0.29
Female	17	1	5.9
Birth place
Durango State	92	15	16.3	0.15
Other Mexican State	8	3	37.5
Residence place
Durango State	99	18	18.2	1.00
Other Mexican State	1	0	0.0
Educational level
Up to 6 years	39	11	28.2	0.03
> 6 years	61	7	11.5
Socio-economic level
Low	35	9	25.7	0.08
Medium	59	7	11.9

Table 2. Sociodemographic Characteristics of Butchers and Seroprevalence of HEV Infection

Characteristic

No. of subjects tested

Prevalence of HEV infection

P value

No.

HEV: hepatitis E virus.

Age groups (years)

30 or less

6.9

0.10

31 - 50

19.2

> 50

30.0

Gender

Male

20.2

0.29

Female

5.9

Birth place

Durango State

16.3

0.15

Other Mexican State

37.5

Residence place

Durango State

18.2

1.00

Other Mexican State

0.0

Educational level

Up to 6 years

28.2

0.03

> 6 years

11.5

Socio-economic level

Low

25.7

0.08

Medium

11.9

**Table 3.** Bivariate Analysis of Work Factors and HEV Seropositivity in Butchers
Characteristic	No. of subjects tested	Prevalence of HEV infection	P value
HEV: hepatitis E virus.
Work place
Butcher shop	51	3	5.9	0.006
Slaughterhouse No. 1	18	5	27.8
Slaughterhouse No. 2	32	10	31.2
Duration in the activity
Up to 5 years	31	1	3.2	0.02
6 to 10 years	23	6	26.1
More than 10 years	40	11	27.5
Days a week with raw meat contact
Up to 3	97	18	18.6	1.00
4 to 7	1	0	0
Animals most frequently handled
Cattle	94	18	19.1	0.98
Pigs	35	7	20
Chicken	6	1	16.7
Ever worked with raw meat in another city
Yes	12	4	33.3	0.22
No	84	14	16.7
Wearing gloves
Yes	26	4	15.4	0.77
No	69	14	20.3
Wearing mask
Yes	47	10	21.3	0.56
No	48	8	16.7
Wearing safety glasses
Yes	7	0	0	0.34
No	88	18	20.5
Splash of blood or raw meat at face
Yes	74	13	17.6	0.76
No	24	5	20.8
Injuries at work
Yes	91	17	18.7	1.00
No	7	1	14.3
Eating while working
Yes	43	2	4.7	0.002
No	55	16	29.1
Washing hands before eating
Yes	88	18	20.5	0.20
No	10	0	0
Raw meat consumption
Yes	19	1	5.3	0.18
No	79	17	21.5

Table 3. Bivariate Analysis of Work Factors and HEV Seropositivity in Butchers

Characteristic

No. of subjects tested

Prevalence of HEV infection

P value

No.

HEV: hepatitis E virus.

Work place

Butcher shop

5.9

0.006

Slaughterhouse No. 1

27.8

Slaughterhouse No. 2

31.2

Duration in the activity

Up to 5 years

3.2

0.02

6 to 10 years

26.1

More than 10 years

27.5

Days a week with raw meat contact

Up to 3

18.6

1.00

4 to 7

Animals most frequently handled

Cattle

19.1

0.98

Pigs

Chicken

16.7

Ever worked with raw meat in another city

Yes

33.3

0.22

16.7

Wearing gloves

Yes

15.4

0.77

20.3

Wearing mask

Yes

21.3

0.56

16.7

Wearing safety glasses

Yes

0.34

20.5

Splash of blood or raw meat at face

Yes

17.6

0.76

20.8

Injuries at work

Yes

18.7

1.00

14.3

Eating while working

Yes

4.7

0.002

29.1

Washing hands before eating

Yes

20.5

0.20

Raw meat consumption

Yes

5.3

0.18

21.5

**Table 4.** Bivariate Analysis of a Selection of Behavioral Factors and Seroprevalence of Infection With HEV in Butchers
Characteristic	No. of subjects tested	Prevalence of HEV infection	P value
HEV: hepatitis E virus.
Raising farm animals
Yes	72	18	25.0	0.003
No	29	0	0.0
Traveled abroad
Yes	33	9	27.3	0.06
No	66	8	12.1
National trips
Yes	58	15	25.9	0.006
No	41	2	4.9
Goat meat consumption
Yes	35	9	25.7	0.11
No	62	8	12.9
Sheep meat consumption
Yes	74	10	13.5	0.13
No	26	7	26.9
Venison consumption
Yes	30	8	26.7	0.10
No	68	9	13.2
Skunk meat consumption
Yes	1	1	100.0	0.17
No	100	17	17.0
Ostrich meat consumption
Yes	7	3	42.9	0.10
No	94	15	16.0
Degree of meat cooking
Raw	1	0	0.0	0.42
Undercooked	9	3	33.3
Well done	78	13	16.7
Sausages consumption
Yes	96	15	15.6	0.13
No	4	2	50.0
Ham consumption
Yes	95	15	15.8	0.07
No	3	2	66.7
Unwashed raw vegetables
Yes	40	8	20.0	0.43
No	57	8	14.0
Unwashed raw fruits
Yes	64	13	20.3	0.31
No	33	4	12.1
Untreated water
Yes	69	11	15.9	0.57
No	29	6	20.7
Frequency of eating out of home
Never	9	2	22.2	0.55
1 to 10 times a year	37	8	21.6
> 10 times a year	52	7	13.5

Table 4. Bivariate Analysis of a Selection of Behavioral Factors and Seroprevalence of Infection With HEV in Butchers

Characteristic

No. of subjects tested

Prevalence of HEV infection

P value

No.

HEV: hepatitis E virus.

Raising farm animals

Yes

25.0

0.003

0.0

Traveled abroad

Yes

27.3

0.06

12.1

National trips

Yes

25.9

0.006

4.9

Goat meat consumption

Yes

25.7

0.11

12.9

Sheep meat consumption

Yes

13.5

0.13

26.9

Venison consumption

Yes

26.7

0.10

13.2

Skunk meat consumption

Yes

100.0

0.17

100

17.0

Ostrich meat consumption

Yes

42.9

0.10

16.0

Degree of meat cooking

Raw

0.0

0.42

Undercooked

33.3

Well done

16.7

Sausages consumption

Yes

15.6

0.13

50.0

Ham consumption

Yes

15.8

0.07

66.7

Unwashed raw vegetables

Yes

20.0

0.43

14.0

Unwashed raw fruits

Yes

20.3

0.31

12.1

Untreated water

Yes

15.9

0.57

20.7

Frequency of eating out of home

Never

22.2

0.55

1 to 10 times a year

21.6

> 10 times a year

13.5

**Table 5.** Multivariate Analysis of Selected Characteristics of Butchers and Their Association With HEV Infection
Characteristic	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval	P value
HEV: hepatitis E virus.
Low education (≤ 6 years)	1.00	0.27 - 3.68	0.98
Work place	3.65	0.52 - 25.56	0.19
Seniority	1.94	0.80 - 4.69	0.13
Eating while working	2.07	0.27 - 15.51	0.47
Raising farm animals	0.00	0.00	0.99
National trips	5.38	1.02 - 28.16	0.04

Table 5. Multivariate Analysis of Selected Characteristics of Butchers and Their Association With HEV Infection

Characteristic

Odds ratio

95% confidence interval

P value

HEV: hepatitis E virus.

Low education (≤ 6 years)

1.00

0.27 - 3.68

0.98

Work place

3.65

0.52 - 25.56

0.19

Seniority

1.94

0.80 - 4.69

0.13

Eating while working

2.07

0.27 - 15.51

0.47

Raising farm animals

0.00

0.99

National trips

5.38

1.02 - 28.16

0.04