Updating the knowledge of hepatitis E: new variants and higher prevalence of anti-HEV in Argentina
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2014, Vol 13, Issue 5
Abstract
Introduction. Hepatitis E is a disease of global distribution, with significant morbidity and mortality, whose scope and burden continue to emerge in low endemic countries. Material and methods. In 2012, we studied the prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in 202 adult serum samples. We also analyzed samples from 143 patients with acute non-A-C hepatitis from January 2011 to December 2013. Acute HEV infections were diagnosed with anti-HEV IgM and/or HEV RNA. HEV RNA was also investigated in 94 swine fecal samples. HEV RNA was sequenced and characterized. Results. We found higher values of prevalence than those previously reported in the 1990s. The overall prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies was 15.4%. The prevalence was 10.6% in the 123 adults voluntarily screened on World Hepatitis Day 2012 in Buenos Aires city and 14.8, 16.7 and 35.7% respectively in the smaller groups of healthcare workers, blood donors and HIV-positive patients from different regions of the country. Nine acute HEV infections were diagnosed in the three years analyzed. We characterized new human variants of subgenotype 3a and 3i. New subgenotype 3i variants were found in swine from two distant provinces closely related to the human ones. Conclusions. These results enlarge the knowledge of HEV and contribute with new information. However, higher values of prevalence found in small groups need to be confirmed in larger studies. Many aspects of the spectrum of the disease and the reservoirs and routes of transmission are still unknown and thus deserve additional research.
Authors and Affiliations
María S. Munné, Nancy R. Altabert, Lucio O. Otegui M. , Sara N. Vladimirsky, Rita Moreiro, María P. Espul, Carlos Espul, Abelardo Manzur, Sonia S. Soto, Leonardo S. Brajterman, Jorge E. González
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP78432
- DOI -
- Views 101
- Downloads 0
Hepatitis C virus infection in health-care settings: Medical and ethical implications
Hepatitis C is a major public health issue. It infects about 200 million people worldwide and is a major cause of chronic liver disease. Its transmission in medical facilities is a topic of increased concern, as outbreak...
Probiotics and synbiotics may improve liver aminotransferases levels in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as a spectrum of liver diseases ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH). Alterations in intestinal microbiota and inflammatory response may play a key...
Maternal separation on the ethanol-preferring adult rat liver structure
Background and rationale for the study. We designed to test whether there is interaction of maternal separation (MS) on the ethanol-preferring rats liver structure. The UCh rat pups were separated daily from their mother...
Is intestinal oxidative stress involved in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis?
Background. Liver cirrhosis is associated with intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, which may be affected by oxidative stress.Studies in cirrhotic rats provided evidence for intestinal oxidative stress, but studie...
Changes in insulin sensitivity and body weight during and after peginterferon and ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C