Common aetiological agent for epidemic and sporadic non-A, non-B hepatitis.
Enterovirus-like particles have been reported in the acute phase of both epidemic and sporadic non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis. To examine whether these particles were the causative agent in the two types of disease, 29 patients with acute viral hepatitis in a north Indian epidemic outbreak and 9 with sporadic acute disease were investigated. 25 (86%) of 29 patients with epidemic hepatitis and 5 (56%) of 9 with sporadic disease were diagnosed as having enterically-transmitted-NANB hepatitis by exclusion. Virus-like particles (VLP) of 30-34 nm were detected in stool of 1 patient with epidemic and 1 with sporadic hepatitis. The VLPs crossreacted serologically and a specific IgM response was seen in acute epidemic and sporadic serum samples. After inoculation with infected stool rhesus monkeys had a mild rise in liver enzymes, and bile samples contained VLPs. These results suggest that the aetiological agent in epidemic and sporadic disease is the same.
Chauhan
A
A
Department of Hepatology, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Dilawari
J B
JB
Jameel
S
S
Kaur
U
U
Chawla
Y K
YK
Sharma
M L
ML
Ganguly
N K
NK
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data