6533b838fe1ef96bd12a3d80

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Hepatitis E virus infection as a cause of acute hepatitis in Southern Italy

Vito Di MarcoTeresa PollicinoClaudio GalliC. MusolinoGiovanni SquadritoIrene CacciolaFederica MessineoBruno CacopardoGiovanni RaimondoCarlo Saitta

subject

AdultMalemedicine.medical_specialtyvirusesmedicine.disease_causeZOONOSISHepatitisLiver diseaseCHRONIC LIVER-DISEASEYoung AdultHepatitis E virusEpidemiologymedicineHepatitis E virusHumansAcute hepatitisHepatitis AntibodiesHepatologybiologybusiness.industryLiver DiseasesGastroenterologyvirus diseasesMiddle AgedHepatitis Emedicine.diseaseSerum samplesVirologydigestive system diseasesHepatitis EImmunoglobulin MItalyImmunoglobulin GChronic Diseasebiology.proteinRNA ViralFemaleAntibodycryptogenic Acute HepatitisbusinessHepatitis E virus infectionAcute hepatitisSerological diagnosis Hepatitis E Virus Acute hepatitis ZOONOSIS CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE cryptogenic Acute HepatitisSerological diagnosis

description

Abstract Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis in developing countries, whereas it is not considered a major health problem in Western World. Aims To investigate the spread of HEV and its possible role in causing acute hepatitis in Southern Italy. Methods Four hundred and thirty patients observed from April to December 2009 were studied and grouped as follows: 55 individuals with acute hepatitis (AH), 33 of whom cryptogenic; 321 individuals with chronic liver diseases (CLD), (278 Italians and 43 immigrants); 54 individuals without liver disease (control-group). Serum samples from all cases were tested for IgG anti-HEV antibodies and those positive to this test as well as all AH cases were also tested both for IgM anti-HEV and HEV RNA. Results Two of 33 (6%) cryptogenic AH cases were associated with HEV infection as shown by positive IgM anti-HEV test. Both these patients had not travelled to areas at high HEV endemicity. HEV RNA was not found in any sample tested. IgG anti-HEV antibodies were detected in 5.7% of Italians with CLD and 3.7% of the control-group. No immigrant was found positive for any HEV marker. Conclusion Autochthonous HEV infection is present in Southern Italy where it may cause AH.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2011-01-01
10.1016/j.dld.2011.07.017http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/41656