Prevalence of hepatitis E virus in Egyptian children presented with minor hepatic disorders.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is considered as one of the common causes of particular hepatitis in developing countries. It is transmitted in a fecal-oral manner. It causes sporadic infections and large epidemics. To estimate the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies to ORF3 peptide of Hepatitis E virus genome in an age of children, study subjects (100 children) between 6 months and 10 years with minor, hepatic illnesses were recruited for the study during the period from September 2004 to September 2005. Serum anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM antibodies were screened in all subjects, anti-HEV IgM antibodies were assayed as an indicator of recent infection. Serum transaminases (AST and ALT) were estimated in positive subjects. Out of 100 subjects recruited, 26 subjects (26%) demonstrated anti-HEV IgG and 6 (6 %) were anti-HEV IgM and IgG positive. Anti-HEV IgG were present since the first year of age till 10 years of age and increased with advancing age. Serum transaminases were raised in one (17%) of subjects with anti-HEV IgM antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
Children are susceptible to HEV infection since early infancy. Seropositivity to HEV antibodies increased by over 2 times beyond 4 years of age as compared to younger age.
Aboulata
Alaa A
AA
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmad
M Shees
MS
Shaban
Mohamad M A
MM
Zayd
Khaled M S
KM
Abd El-Moktader
Ahmad M
AM
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C400973:ORF3 protein, Hepatitis E virus; D014764:Viral Proteins; D000637:Transaminases