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; PABLO DI GIUSTO; SILVIA V. NATES; VIVIANA E. RÉ

Rosario

Congreso; XIV Congreso Argentino de la Sociedad Argentina de Infectología - SADI 2014; 2014

Sociedad Argentina de Infectología

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 a, b and c. The prevalence of IgG anti-HEV was 4.4%. Seroprevalence increased with the age of the individuals (OR: 3.50; 95% CI 1.39?8.87; p = 0.0065) and, although the prevalence was higher in low income population, no statistical relation was found between anti-HEV and socioeconomic level.Conclusions: The environmental findings added to serological results, demonstrate that HEV circulates in central Argentina. Contamination of water with HEV could represent a route of transmission for local populations, which have a high number of susceptible individuals. This fact alerts local health care systems in order to include detection of HEV in the diagnostic algorithm of viral hepatitis.