[Endemic hepatitis E infections in South-East Hungary].

INTRODUCTION

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) one of the most important infectious agent in acute hepatitis in tropical and subtropical areas. Recently, it has been demonstrated that HEV infection also occur in developed countries without travel history. In these regions, transmission thought to be zoonotic. In this work hepatitis E cases are detected in South East Hungary.

AIMS

Aims of the authors were the detection of HEV infection in acute hepatitis patients by enzyme-immunoassay (ELISA), and the introduction of clinical and epidemiological features.

METHODS

Between January 2001 and October 2004, acute sera samples were tested by serological methods (enzyme-immunoassay for HEV IgM and IgG antibodies) from patients with acute hepatitis observed in Department of Infectology Hospital of Szeged. Samples from non-A-B-C infections hepatitis were tested.

CONCLUSIONS

In the mentioned period the detected HEV infections (27) showed a similar incidence as known in other hepatitis in our region. Based upon our results, hepatitis E virus is one of the etiological agent in acute endemic hepatitis in South East Hungary, with special clinical features, which are not entirely similar, found in available literature. The gained data, with their conclusions may have wilder professional interest.