title: Short report: further evidence for hepatitis E in the Brazilian Amazon.
abstract: During an investigation of a hepatitis outbreak occurring in a small village in the Brazilian Amazon, serum samples from 16 recent hepatitis cases and 66 of their asymptomatic relatives were tested for the presence of hepatitis A, B, C, and E markers. Sanitation is poor and organized disposal of sewage is absent in the village. Two of the 16 hepatitis cases were non-A, non-B and non-C hepatitis, but their sera reacted to hepatitis E antibodies of the IgG class (anti-HEV). Likewise, sera from seven of the 66 asymptomatic relatives were positive for anti-HEV. Four of the nine anti-HEV positive sera had their reactivity confirmed by a neutralization test using synthetic peptides based on the nucleotide sequences of open reading frames 2 (ORF2) and 3 (ORF3) encoded in the HEV genome. To our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting the occurrence of acute E hepatitis cases in the Brazilian Amazon.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Julio Muller, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiaba, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parana
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Lyra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E