Acute sporadic hepatitis E in an Egyptian pediatric population.
A study was conducted to determine the etiology of acute hepatitis among 261 children (age range 1-11 years) living in Cairo, Egypt. A blood sample was obtained from each subject when initially evaluated and a questionnaire was used to collect demographic and risk factor data. Sera were tested by enzyme immunoassay for acute hepatitis A (anti-hepatitis A virus IgM), hepatitis B (anti-hepatitis B core antigen IgM and hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]), hepatitis C (total anti-HCV), delta hepatitis (total anti-delta), and cytomegalovirus infection (anti-CMV IgM). In addition, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection was diagnosed using a new Western blot technique to test patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis for anti-HEV IgM. Among 261 children, acute hepatitis A was diagnosed in 85 (32.6%) patients, acute hepatitis B in 19 (7.3%), delta hepatitis in 3 (1.1%), mixed hepatitis A and B infection in 2 (0.8%), CMV infection in 1 (0.4%), hepatitis E in 58 (22.2%), and non-A, non-B hepatitis of unknown type in 51 (19.5%). Forty-two (16.1%) subjects had HBsAg without other markers of acute infection. Risk factor analysis indicated that patients living in homes not connected to a municipal source of water were at increased risk of hepatitis E infection. These data provide additional evidence that hepatitis E virus is a common cause of acute sporadic hepatitis in children living in Egypt.
Microbiology Department, Benha University, Egypt.
D M
DM
el-Zimaity
K C
KC
Hyams
I Z
IZ
Imam
D M
DM
Watts
S
S
Bassily
E K
EK
Naffea
Y
Y
Sultan
K
K
Emara
J
J
Burans
M A
MA
Purdy
D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014038:Toilet Facilities; D014881:Water Supply
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies