title: Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 in Colombia: Survey in Patients with Clinical Diagnosis of Viral Hepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis E virus is a major cause of outbreaks as well as sporadic hepatitis cases worldwide. The epidemiology of this enterically transmitted infection differs between developing and developed countries. The aims of this study were to describe HEV infection in Colombian patients and to characterize the genotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was carried out on 40 patients aged over 15 with a clinical diagnosis of viral hepatitis, recruited from five primary health units in the city of Medellin, Colombia. Fecal samples obtained from the 40 consecutives cases were analyzed for HEV RNA using nested reverse transcription PCR for both ORF1 and ORF2-3. The amplicons were sequenced for phylogenetic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine (22.5%) cases of HEV infection were identified in the study population. Three HEV strains obtained from patients were classified as genotype 3. No significant association was found between cases of Hepatitis E and the variables water drinking source, garbage collection system and contact with pigs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first prospective study of hepatitis E in Colombian patients. The circulation of the genotype 3 in this population is predictable considering the reports of the region and the identification of this genotype from pigs in the state of Antioquia, of which Medellin is the capital. Further studies are necessary to establish whether zoonotic transmission of HEV is important in Colombia.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rendon
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hoyos
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: di Filippo
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.|Grupo de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica GI2B, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Aplicadas, Instituto Tecnologico Metropolitano, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cortes-Mancera
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mantilla
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Velasquez
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.|Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria Elsy
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sepulveda
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.|Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.affiliation: Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Epidemiología. Facultad Nacional de Salud Publica, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria Patricia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arbelaez
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Maria-Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Navas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003105:Colombia; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult