[Acute hepatitis E in Madrid: description of 18 cases].
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the main cause of non-A non-B enterically transmitted hepatitis in underdeveloped countries but is rare in industrialized areas. However, in the last few years, several sporadic autochthonous hepatitis E cases have been reported in Europe and no risk factors, such as visiting to endemic areas, could be found in these patients.


OBJECTIVE
Twelve patients with sporadic autochthonous hepatitis E (no risk factors such as traveling to endemic areas) and six imported cases (travel to Nepal, Santo Domingo, China, Brazil and Ecuador) were studied between June 1999 and December 2005.


RESULTS
HEV infection was diagnosed in patients with symptoms of acute hepatitis and the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies in serum with no other markers of hepatitis. HEV infection is probably overlooked in industrialized countries.


CONCLUSIONS
This diagnosis should be suspected in patients with acute hepatitis and anti-HEV antibodies in serum without known risk factors such as traveling to endemic areas.
Mateos
María Luisa
ML
Servicio de Microbiología. Hospital Ramón y Cajal. Madrid. España. mmateos.hrs@salud.madrid.org
Molina
Auxiliadora
A
Ta
Thuy H
TH
Moreira
Víctor
V
Milicua
José María
JM
Bárcena
Rafael
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies