title: Hepatitis E virus in Italy: molecular analysis of travel-related and autochthonous cases.
abstract: Human hepatitis E virus (HEV) is considered an emerging pathogen in industrialized countries. The aim of the present study was to contribute to the body of knowledge available on the molecular epidemiology of acute hepatitis E in Italy. Three sets of HEV-specific primers targeting the ORF1 and ORF2 were used to examine serum samples collected from acute hepatitis patients positive for anti-HEV IgG and/or IgM, between 2007 and 2010. Seventeen patients (39.5%) tested HEV RNA-positive: 12 infections, due to genotype 1, were associated with travel to endemic areas (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan), while five infections, due to genotype 3, were presumably autochthonous. Risk factors identified in this group included exposure to raw seafood, pork liver sausages and wild boar. Results from the present study confirm that human HEV infection in Italy is caused by different genotypes, depending on whether the infection is travel-related or autochthonous.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Rosa
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muscillo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina Spuri
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Vennarucci
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Garbuglia
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: La Scala
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Capobianchi
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral