First detection of hepatitis E virus in Central Argentina: Environmental and serological survey

MARIBEL G. MARTÍNEZ WASSAF; MARÍA B. PISANO; PATRICIA A. BARRIL; OSVALDO C. ELBARCHA; MARCELO A. PINTO; JAQUELINE MENDES DE OLIVEIRA; PABLO DI GIUSTO; SILVIA V. NATES; VIVIANA E. RÉ

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL VIROLOGY : THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PAN AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL VIROLOGY.

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2014 vol. 61 p. 334 - 334

1386-6532

ackground: The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent causative agent of acute hepatitis worldwide, transmitted by fecal-oral route. In Argentina it is considered rare, so differential laboratory testing is not routinely performed. Besides, in Argentina?s central area epidemiological and molecular characteristics of HEV are still unknown.Objectives: Provide evidence of local circulation of HEV by molecular detection on environmental samples and by serological survey in healthy adult population of Córdoba city, Argentina.Study design: Environmental surveillance was conducted in river and sewage samples collected between 2007 and 2009?2011. Viral detection was performed by RT-Nested PCR of ORF-1 and ORF-2 partial regions. Anti-HEV IgG was determined by EIA in 433 serum samples collected between 2009 and 2010. Results: HEV was detected in 6.3% of raw sewage samples and in 3.2% of riverine samples. Nucleotide sequencing analyses revealed that all isolates belonged to genotype 3, subtypes