title: Evidence for the presence of autochthonous (locally acquired) cases of acute hepatitis E virus infections in Italy since the 80s.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autochthonous (locally acquired) cases of acute hepatitis E virus have been recently reported in several developed countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evidence cases, if any, and characteristics of acute hepatitis E virus infections in North-East of Italy several years ago.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2014, stored sera of 165 nonA-nonB acute hepatitis referred to the hospital of Padua during the period 1978-1991 were tested for hepatitis C virus antibodies by EIA III and for anti-hepatitis E virus IgM by Wantai HEV IgM ELISA. Anti-hepatitis E virus IgM positive sera were tested by Real Star HEV RT-PCR kit (Altona Diagnostics, Hamburg, Germany).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six (58.1%) sera resulted anti-HCV positive, and thus classified as acute C hepatitis. None of these subjects was anti-HEV IgM positive. Out of the 69 anti-HCV negative cases, 4 (5.8%) resulted anti-HEV IgM positive (one case hepatitis E virus-RNA positive), with an increasing trend from 2.8% during the years 1978-1984 to 9.1% during the years 1985-1991. All cases occurred in Italian patients with no travel abroad history.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is evidence for the presence of autochthonous cases of acute hepatitis E virus infections in Italy since 80s.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Unit, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: maria.rapicetta@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Unit, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chionne
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rozenn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esvan
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Unit, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madonna
authors.affiliation: National Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toccaceli
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunobiological Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Unit, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciccaglione
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bortolotti
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute infection; Epidemiology; HCV; HEV; Hepatitis E; Italy