14th December 2023: Public PhD defence of Joakim Øverbø Hepatitis E Virus Epidemiology and Vaccine Response: Studies from Norway and Bangladesh
Congratulations to Joakim Øverbø at his public PhD defense which took place 14th December 2023 at the University of Oslo!
He was enrolled in the PhD programme at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo with main supervisor Susanne Dudman as part of a project funded by Norwegian Research Council with co-supervisors Kathrine Stene-Johansen and Torbjørn Wisløff at Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
His project consisted of three sub studies on hepatitis E in Norway and Bangladesh.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the main causes of acute hepatitis globally. In the thesis Hepatitis E Virus Epidemiology and Vaccine Response: Studies from Norway and Bangladesh, Joakim Øverbø and his collaborators addresses research questions concerning the prevalence, transmission, and prevention of HEV across different income regions. Historically HEV has been recognized as a significant health concern in low-income countries, especially dangerous to pregnant women and their offspring, with no approved vaccine or treatment to protect them. Recently, it has become apparent that other genotypes of HEV are prevalent in many high- and middle-income countries, but the situation in Norway was unknown. The first study within the thesis aimed to ascertain the prevalence of past HEV infection (seroprevalence) among different groups of people and swine in Norway. It revealed a seroprevalence of 14% in Norwegian blood donors, increasing to 20-30% in individuals with occupations involving direct swine contact, and reaching 73% in swine populations.
The second study was conducted in rural Bangladesh, assessing the safety and immunogenicity of a novel HEV vaccine (HEV 239). 100 individuals from two villages received either HEV 239 or a hepatitis B vaccine as a control. The results showed that the HEV 239 vaccination regimen was safe and elicited a strong and likely functional immune response against HEV.
The last study evaluates the use of dried blood spots (DBS) for HEV IgG detection as an easy, cheaper, less invasive, and more robust alternative to conventional serum or plasma samples. The method was found to be both reliable and accurate for many areas of research. The findings underscore the necessity of incorporating HEV into the primary diagnostic considerations for acute hepatitis cases in Norway. Furthermore, the results advocate for larger trials of the HEV 239 vaccine, particularly in high-risk groups in South-East Asia and Africa. DBS presents a methodological advancement in serological HEV research, especially beneficial in these regions.
Hepatitis E Virus Epidemiology and Vaccine Response: Studies from Norway and Bangladesh (med.uio.no)