Detection of HEV RNA in faeces, by RT-PCR during the epidemics of hepatitis E in India (1976-1995).
Out of the 15 hepatitis E (HEV) epidemics that occurred during the years 1976-1995 in the Gujarat and Maharashtra states of India, 45.78% (76/166) stool samples showed the presence of HEV RNA. HEV RNA was found significantly more often in samples that were transported in liquid nitrogen (50.9%) compared with samples that were transported in wet ice (37.0%) (P < 0.05). Stool samples collected within 7 days after the onset of the disease (59.2%) were more often positive for HEV RNA when compared with samples that were collected 7-20 days after the onset of the disease (28.5%) (P < 0.01). It has been observed in experimentally infected Rhesus monkeys that they excrete HEV throughout the incubation period and for a variable length of time after the elevation of serum ALT levels. A similar situation is found in humans.
Chobe
L P
LP
Hepatitis Division, National Institute of Virology, Pune, India.
Chadha
M S
MS
Banerjee
K
K
Arankalle
V A
VA
D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D000882:Haplorhini; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
D012367:RNA, Viral; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase