Acute sporadic hepatitis E in Sudanese children: analysis based on a new western blot assay.
A newly developed Western blot assay for antibody to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) was used to evaluate 39 cases of acute pediatric hepatitis and 39 control patients in Khartoum, Sudan. The mean age of cases was 6.5 years (range, 2-14); 64% were male. Acute hepatitis A (IgM anti-HAV-positive) was diagnosed in 13 cases, acute hepatitis B (IgM anti-HBc-positive) in 1, and acute hepatitis E (positive for IgM anti-HEV) in 23 (59%). None of the cases with IgM anti-HAV or IgM anti-HBc had IgM anti-HEV; 3 controls had IgM anti-HEV. Acute hepatitis E was associated with recent contact with a family member or acquaintance with jaundice and the presence of indoor plumbing. The newly developed hepatitis E assay appeared to be specific for the diagnosis of acute icteric non-A, non-B hepatitis. Hepatitis E was found to be the most common cause of acute sporadic hepatitis in children living in an urban area of Africa.
Hyams
K C
KC
Infectious Disease Department, US Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
Purdy
M A
MA
Kaur
M
M
McCarthy
M C
MC
Hussain
M A
MA
el-Tigani
A
A
Krawczynski
K
K
Bradley
D W
DW
Carl
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M