title: [Hepatitis E in Hetian city. Analysis of 562 cases].
abstract: Between August and September 1987, 562 patients were hospitalized with acute non-A, non-B hepatitis. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1, and 75% of the patients was of 15-40 years of age. Jaundice developed in 87%. The overall case-fatality rate was 1.4%, but it was highest among pregnant women (5.2%) and newborn infants (24.2%). In general, the disease was self-limited with no evidence of chronic infection. Liver biopsies obtained during the acute illness showed portal inflammation and cytoplasmic cholestasis. Of 31 specimens of stool examined with a prototype ELISA for HEV antigen, 8 were found to be 'positive' and confirmed with immune electron microscopy (IEM). IEM examination of 'patients' stool revealed 27-32 nm viruslike particles. Inoculation of rhesus monkeys with patients stool containing virus-like particles produced acute hepatitis and the acute phase serum reacted with these particles in IEM, while preinoculation serum specimens were non-reactive.
authors: Urumqi General Hospital, Lanzhou Military Region.
authors: D Y
authors: DY
authors: Song
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Zhuang
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality