title: [Autochthonous hepatitis E in France and consumption of raw pig meat].
abstract: Viral hepatitis E is an endemic infection in developing countries. Emerging cases of autochthonous hepatitis E have been observed in developed countries, especially in France. Transmission route of those cases remains unknown and contamination may occur from an animal reservoir. We report two new cases of hepatitis E simultaneously diagnosed in a couple after a trip in southern France. Diagnosis was based on detection of anti-HEV IgM and HEV RNA in sera of the two patients. Epidemiologic investigation revealed that the two patients had eaten undercooked pig meat four weeks before the onset of the jaundice. This report suggests that consumption of undercooked pork meat may be responsible for the contamination by hepatitis E virus in France as it was described in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hépatogastroentérologie, Hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deest
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zehner
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicand
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaudy-Graffin
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goudeau
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bacq
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000145:classification; D007565:Jaundice / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral