title: Hepatitis agents with enteric transmission--an epidemiological analysis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, S. Demirel University, Faculty of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yayli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiliç
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ormeci
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D051263:D-Alanine Transaminase