Hepatitis E virus infection in patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in Central Brazil

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has a worldwide distribution and represents an important cause of acute hepatitis. This study aims to investigate the occurrence of HEV infection and factors associated with this infection in patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in Central Brazil. From April 2012 to October 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 379 patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in the City of Goiania, Central Brazil. Serum samples of all patients were tested for serological markers of HEV infection (anti-HEV IgM and IgG) by ELISA. Positive samples were confirmed using immunoblot test. Anti-HEV IgM and IgG positive samples were tested for HEV RNA. Of the 379 serum samples, one (0.3%) and 20 (5.3%) were positive for anti-HEV IgM and IgG, respectively. HEV RNA was not found in any sample positive for IgM and/or IgG anti-HEV. After multivariate analysis, low education level was independently associated with HEV seropositivity (p = 0.005), as well as living in rural area, with a borderline p-value (p = 0.056). In conclusion, HEV may be responsible for sporadic self-limited cases of acute hepatitis in Central Brazil.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Freitas,Nara Rubia de, Santana,Edna Braz Rocha de, Silva,Ágabo Macedo da Costa e, Silva,Sueli Meira da, Teles,Sheila Araújo, Gardinali,Noemi Rovaris, Pinto,Marcelo Alves, Martins,Regina Maria Bringel
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2016
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762016001100692
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