Abstract: Objective To investigate the epidemiological feature of sporadicacute hepatitis E in recent five years in Beijing.Methods Serum samples were collected from 17 234 patients(14 048 mael,3 186 female)with liver disease,and tested for anti-HEV IgM and IgG by ELISA.Results The rates of hepatitis Evirus(HEV)infection were significant different between the years(χ²=56 69,P<0.000).The yearly seropreva lence rate of HEV specific antibody was 6.26%,8.83%,11.3%,8 38%,and 9.36% form July 2002 to July 2007,respectively.Among 1.541 patients with liver disease,8.94% were positive for anti-HEV(81.51% in the male,18.49% in the female).Among all anti-HEV positive patients,617(40.04%)we repositive for anti-IgM,329(21.35%)were positive for anti-HEV IgG,and 595(38.61%)were positive both for anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG.The positive rate of anti-HEV was increased with age.In children and the elderly patients more than 70 years old,the rates were decreased.Among all positive antiHEV patients,69.24% (1.067/1.541)had acute hepatitis E,22.71%(350/1 541)had coinfection of HEV and HBV,8.05%(124/1 541)had other liver diseases.Conclusion The result suggested that the HEV infection was sporadic in Beijing from 2002 to 2007.The infection rates were lower in children and the elderly more than 70 years old.