viruses Article Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection among Blood Donors in Bulgaria Magdalena Baymakova 1,* , Krasimira Terzieva 2, Rumen Popov 2, Elisaveta Grancharova 2, Todor Kundurzhiev 3, Roman Pepovich 4 and Ilia Tsachev 5 1 Department of Infectious Diseases, Military Medical Academy, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Center of Transfusion Hematology, Military Medical Academy, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria;
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[email protected]; Tel.: +359-882-28-50-87 Abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is widespread among domestic pigs, industrial swine, and wild boars in Bulgaria. The aim of the current research was to present the HEV seroprevalence among blood donors in Bulgaria. In the present study, 555 blood donors (479 males and 76 females) were enrolled from five districts in the country (Shumen, Pleven, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, and Sofia districts). All blood samples were tested for anti-HEV IgG using the recomWell HEV IgG ELISA Citation: Baymakova, M.; Terzieva, test (Mikrogen GmbH, Neuried, Germany). Each participating donor completed a short, structured, K.; Popov, R.; Grancharova, E.; and specific questionnaire to document data on the current study. Anti-HEV IgG positive results Kundurzhiev, T.; Pepovich, R.; were detected in 144 (25.9%) blood donors, including 129 (26.9%) males and 15 (19.7%) females.