title: Epidemiological study of viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D and E among Inuits in West Greenland.
abstract: A descriptive study was performed to evaluate the relative frequencies and molecular epidemiological features of viral hepatitis types A to E among the Inuit population in West Greenland. Serum samples were collected from 503 Inuits (186 males and 317 females; mean age 35 years; range 7-79 years) and were tested for markers of viral hepatitis infection. The hepatitis A prevalence averaged 54%, with a significant rise from 9% to 50% between the second and third decade of life. As for hepatitis B, 42% of the total study population showed serological evidence of current or past hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and 7% were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. Among the carriers, 6% were also positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and HBV DNA could be detected in 49% of carriers by polymerase chain reaction. Typing of the HBV isolates revealed genomic group D in 83% (serotype ayw2) and group A in 17% (serotype adw 2). Less than 1% of the study population had antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. None were positive for HCV RNA. Serological evidence of hepatitis D infection was found in 7% of those with hepatitis B helper virus infection markers and in 40% of the HBsAg carriers. As for hepatitis E, 3% of the Inuits showed reactivity in an enzyme immunoassay that detected hepatitis E virus antibody. HEV RNA could not be detected.
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Frösner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Brunn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D004930:Inuit; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral