Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 in Colombia: Survey in Patients with Clinical Diagnosis of Viral Hepatitis

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.

Below:  Analysis of variables and HEV infection of patients with a clinical diagnosis of viral hepatitis in the city of Medellin

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/CuJJMP

By:  

Julio Rendon, Maria Cristina Hoyos, Diana di Filippo, Fabian Cortes-Mancera, Carolina Mantilla, Maria Mercedes Velasquez, Maria Elsy Sepulveda, Juan Carlos Restrepo, Gonzalo Correa, Maria-Cristina Navas

Grupo de Gastrohepatologia. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia

Fabian Cortes-Mancera

Grupo de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica GI2B, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Aplicadas, Instituto Tecnologico Metropolitano, Medellin, Colombia

Maria Elsy Sepulveda, Juan Carlos Restrepo, Sergio Jaramillo

Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellin, Colombia

Maria Patricia Arbelaez

Grupo de Epidemiología. Facultad Nacional de Salud Publica, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia

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