Publications

@article{Mirzaev2024,

title = {Systematic review and meta-analysis of hepatitis E seroprevalence in Southeast Asia: a comprehensive assessment of epidemiological patterns},

author = {Ulugbek Khudayberdievich Mirzaev and Serge Ouoba and Ko Ko and Zayar Phyo and Chanroth Chhoung and Akuffo Golda Ataa and Aya Sugiyama and Tomoyuki Akita and Junko Tanaka},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38789918/},

doi = {10.1186/S12879-024-09349-2},

issn = {1471-2334},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {BMC infectious diseases},

volume = {24},

issue = {1},

publisher = {BMC Infect Dis},

abstract = {The burden of hepatitis E in Southeast Asia is substantial, influenced by its distinct socio-economic and environmental factors, as well as variations in healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to assess the pooled seroprevalence of hepatitis E across countries within the Southeast Asian region by the UN division. The study analyzed 66 papers across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, encompassing data from of 44,850 individuals focusing on anti-HEV seroprevalence. The investigation spanned nine countries, excluding Brunei and East Timor due to lack of data. The pooled prevalence of anti-HEV IgG was determined to be 21.03%, with the highest prevalence observed in Myanmar (33.46%) and the lowest in Malaysia (5.93%). IgM prevalence was highest in Indonesia (12.43%) and lowest in Malaysia (0.91%). The study stratified populations into high-risk (farm workers, chronic patients) and low-risk groups (general population, blood donors, pregnant women, hospital patients). It revealed a higher IgG\textemdash28.9%, IgM\textemdash4.42% prevalence in the former group, while the latter group exhibited figures of 17.86% and 3.15%, respectively, indicating occupational and health-related vulnerabilities to HEV. A temporal analysis (1987\textendash2023), indicated an upward trend in both IgG and IgM prevalence, suggesting an escalating HEV burden. These findings contribute to a better understanding of HEV seroprevalence in Southeast Asia, shedding light on important public health implications and suggesting directions for further research and intervention strategies. Key points Research Question Investigate the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Southeast Asian countries focusing on different patterns, timelines, and population cohorts. Findings Sporadic Transmission of IgG and IgM Prevalence: • Pooled anti-HEV IgG prevalence: 21.03% • Pooled anti-HEV IgM prevalence: 3.49% Seroprevalence among specific groups: High-risk group (farm workers and chronic patients): • anti-HEV IgG: 28.9% • anti-HEV IgM: 4.42% Low-risk group (general population, blood donors, pregnant women, hospital patients): • anti-HEV IgG: 17.86% • anti-HEV IgM: 3.15% Temporal Seroprevalence of HEV: Anti-HEV IgG prevalence increased over decades (1987\textendash1999; 2000\textendash2010; 2011\textendash2023): 12.47%, 18.43%, 29.17% as an anti-HEV IgM prevalence: 1.92%, 2.44%, 5.27% Importance Provides a comprehensive overview of HEV seroprevalence in Southeast Asia. Highlights variation in seroprevalence among different population groups. Reveals increasing trend in HEV seroprevalence over the years. Distinguishes between sporadic and epidemic cases for a better understanding of transmission dynamics.},

keywords = {Asia, doi:10.1186/s12879-024-09349-2, Female, Hepatitis Antibodies* / blood, Hepatitis E virus* / immunology, Hepatitis E* / blood, Hepatitis E* / epidemiology, Humans, Immunoglobulin G* / blood, Immunoglobulin M* / blood, Junko Tanaka, Male, MEDLINE, Meta-Analysis, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, PMC11127338, pmid:38789918, Pregnancy, Prevalence, PubMed Abstract, Risk Factors, Serge Ouoba, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Southeastern / epidemiology, Systematic review, Ulugbek Khudayberdievich Mirzaev},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Akuffo2024,

title = {Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of serological tests for hepatitis delta virus diagnosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis},

author = {Golda Ataa Akuffo and Serge Ouoba and Ko Ko and Chanroth Chhoung and Zayar Phyo and Ulugbek Khudayberdievich Mirzaev and Aya Sugiyama and Tomoyuki Akita and Junko Tanaka},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39122751/},

doi = {10.1038/S41598-024-69304-8},

issn = {2045-2322},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Scientific reports},

volume = {14},

issue = {1},

publisher = {Sci Rep},

abstract = {Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV), a satellite virus of Hepatitis B virus, exacerbates liver damage in affected individuals. Screening for HDV antibodies in HBsAg positive patients is recommended, but the diagnostic accuracy of serological tests remains uncertain. This review aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of serological tests for HDV. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus etc. for relevant studies. Studies measuring the sensitivity and specificity of serological HDV tests against PCR as a reference standard were included. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for each test method and sero-marker were calculated. The review included six studies with 11 study arms, evaluating ARCHITECT immunoassay, EIA, ELISA, QMAC, RIA, and Western Blot test methods targeting Anti-HDV IgG, Total anti-HDV and Anti-HDV IgM. Sensitivities for Anti-HDV IgG, Total Anti-HDV and Anti-HDV IgM, tests were 97.4%, 51.9%, and 62.0%, respectively, with specificities of 95.3%, 80.0%, and 85.0%. Our findings, with its limited number of studies, suggest that HDV serological tests, particularly those identifying Anti IgG exhibit high accuracy and can serve as effective screening tools for HDV.},

keywords = {doi:10.1038/s41598-024-69304-8, Golda Ataa Akuffo, Hepatitis Antibodies / blood, Hepatitis D* / blood, Hepatitis D* / diagnosis, Hepatitis D* / immunology, Hepatitis D* / virology, Hepatitis Delta Virus* / immunology, Humans, Immunoglobulin G / blood, Immunoglobulin M / blood, Junko Tanaka, MEDLINE, Meta-Analysis, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, PMC11316141, pmid:39122751, PubMed Abstract, Sensitivity and Specificity*, Serge Ouoba, Serologic Tests* / methods, Serologic Tests* / standards, Systematic review},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Phyo2024,

title = {Intermediate hepatitis C virus (HCV) endemicity and its genotype distribution in Myanmar: A systematic review and meta-analysis},

author = {Zayar Phyo and Ko Ko and Serge Ouoba and Aya Sugiyama and Ulugbek Khudayberdievich Mirzaev and Golda Ataa Akuffo and Chanroth Chhoung and Tomoyuki Akita and Junko Tanaka},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39298388/},

doi = {10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0307872},

issn = {1932-6203},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {PloS one},

volume = {19},

issue = {9},

publisher = {PLoS One},

abstract = {Background Comprehensive details on Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Myanmar are lacking. This study determined the prevalence of HCV antibodies and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and the distribution of HCV genotypes across different populations in Myanmar from 1990 to 2023. Material and methods A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and local journals identified studies reporting on HCV antibodies, RNA, and genotypes, excluding clinical research related to liver disease prognosis. Screening and data extraction was done by two authors and study populations were categorized into low-risk, high-risk, liver disease patients, and refugees outside the country. The pooled prevalence was performed by Dersimonian and Laird method using the R program. The publication bias was shown by funnel plot, the Egger test was used to assess the symmetry of the plot, and the heterogeneity was examined by the Cochran Q test and I2 index. Results Out of 135 reports screened for eligibility, 35 reports comprising 51 studies were included in which 33 studies provided data on HCV seroprevalence in 685,403 individuals, 8 studies reported HCV RNA prevalence in 25,018 individuals, and 10 studies examined HCV genotypes in 1,845 individuals. The pooled seroprevalence of HCV among low-risk, high-risk, liver disease patients and refugees were 2.18%, 37.07%, 33.84%, and 2.52% respectively. HCV RNA-positive rates in these groups were 1.40%, 5.25%, 24.96%, and 0.84% respectively. Seroprevalence studies showed publication bias (Egger test},

keywords = {doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0307872, Endemic Diseases, Genotype*, Hepacivirus* / genetics, Hepacivirus* / isolation \& purification, Hepatitis C* / epidemiology, Hepatitis C* / virology, Humans, Junko Tanaka, Ko Ko, MEDLINE, Meta-Analysis, Myanmar / epidemiology, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, PMC11412534, pmid:39298388, Prevalence, PubMed Abstract, RNA, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Systematic review, Viral / genetics, Zayar Phyo},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ouoba2023,

title = {Intermediate hepatitis B virus infection prevalence among 1622 pregnant women in rural Burkina Faso and implications for mother-to-child transmission},

author = {Serge Ouoba and Ko Ko and Moussa Lingani and Shintaro Nagashima and Alice N. Guingan\'{e} and E. Bunthen and Md Razeen Ashraf Hussain and Aya Sugiyama and Tomoyuki Akita and Masayuki Ohisa and Moussa Abdel Sanou and Ousmane Traore and Job Wilfried Nassa and Maimouna Sanou and Kazuaki Takahashi and Halidou Tinto and Junko Tanaka},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37059812/},

doi = {10.1038/S41598-023-32766-3},

issn = {2045-2322},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Scientific reports},

volume = {13},

issue = {1},

publisher = {Sci Rep},

abstract = {In highly endemic countries for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, childhood infection, including mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), represents the primary transmission route. High maternal DNA level (viral load ≥ 200,000 IU/mL) is a significant factor for MTCT. We investigated the prevalence of HBsAg, HBeAg, and high HBV DNA among pregnant women in three hospitals in Burkina Faso and assessed the performance of HBeAg to predict high viral load. Consenting pregnant women were interviewed on their sociodemographic characteristics and tested for HBsAg by a rapid diagnostic test, and dried blood spot (DBS) samples were collected for laboratory analyses. Of the 1622 participants, HBsAg prevalence was 6.5% (95% CI, 5.4\textendash7.8%). Among 102 HBsAg-positive pregnant women in DBS samples, HBeAg was positive in 22.6% (95% CI, 14.9\textendash31.9%), and viral load was quantified in 94 cases, with 19.1% having HBV DNA ≥ 200,000 IU/mL. HBV genotypes were identified in 63 samples and predominant genotypes were E (58.7%) and A (36.5%). The sensitivity of HBeAg by using DBS samples to identify high viral load in the 94 cases was 55.6%, and the specificity was 86.8%. These findings highlight the need to implement routine HBV screening and effective MTCT risk assessment for all pregnant women in Burkina Faso to enable early interventions that can effectively reduce MTCT.},

keywords = {Burkina Faso / epidemiology, Child, DNA, doi:10.1038/s41598-023-32766-3, Female, Hepatitis B e Antigens, Hepatitis B Surface Antigens, Hepatitis B virus / genetics, Hepatitis B* / diagnosis, Humans, Infectious Disease Transmission, Infectious* / epidemiology, Junko Tanaka, Ko Ko, MEDLINE, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, Non-U.S. Gov't, PMC10103033, pmid:37059812, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Pregnant Women, Prevalence, PubMed Abstract, Research Support, Serge Ouoba, Vertical / prevention \& control, Viral / genetics},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}