Hepatitis E--an important cause of imported non-A, non-B hepatitis among migrant workers in Qatar.
In 1985, Glynn et al. [Journal of Medical Virology 17:371-375] reported on epidemic viral hepatitis in Qatar and concluded that 72% (91/126) had acute enterically transmitted non-A, non-B viral hepatitis (ET-NANBH). Most of the patients (98%) presented within 8 weeks of arrival in Qatar and were migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent. The data was reanalysed for evidence of infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV). Seventy-eight of 91 (86%) of stored sera were still suitable for analysis since collection in 1981. A newly described enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for both IgG and IgM anti-HEV was used (Abbott Laboratories, Delkenheim, Germany); 59/78 (76%) were positive for either or both assays. All but two were from the Indian subcontinent. The data suggest that HEV was the major cause of ET-NANBH in Qatar in 1981, particularly among newly arrived migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent.
Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
R G
RG
Shidrawi
S J
SJ
Skidmore
J C
JC
Coleman
R
R
Dayton
I M
IM
Murray-Lyon
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001211:Asia, Western / Q000208:ethnology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M