Hepatitis agents with enteric transmission--an epidemiological analysis.
BACKGROUND
Viral hepatitis is characterized by special clinical, biochemical and serological findings. This study was planned to determine the seroprevalence, epidemiological characteristics and clinical and biochemical findings of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections during an outbreak of jaundice.


METHODS
340 children aged 5-16 years were included. Clinical findings and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were documented. Anti-HAV IgG and IgM in addition to anti-HEV IgG and IgM were determined by microELISA.


RESULTS
Clinical findings, high levels of ALT, anti-HAV IgM and IgG, anti-HEV IgM and IgG were present in 6%, 23%, 17%, 100%, 7% and 9% of cases, respectively. The relationship between ALT levels and anti-HAV or anti-HEV IgM seropositivity was significant (p </= 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
HAV and HEV infection were both caused by a contaminated water supply.
Yayli
G
G
Dept. of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, S. Demirel University, Faculty of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey.
Kiliç
S
S
Ormeci
A R
AR
D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D051263:D-Alanine Transaminase; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014871:Water Microbiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D051263:D-Alanine Transaminase