TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatitis E virus in italy
T2 - Molecular analysis of travel-related and autochthonous cases
AU - Rosa, Giuseppina La
AU - Muscillo, Michele
AU - Vennarucci, Valentina Spuri
AU - Garbuglia, Anna Rosa
AU - Scala, Patrizia La
AU - Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria
PY - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
N2 - Human hepatitis E virus (HEV) is considered an emerging pathogen in industrialized countries. The aim of the present study was to contribute to the body of knowledge available on the molecular epidemiology of acute hepatitis E in Italy. Three sets of HEV-specific primers targeting the ORF1 and ORF2 were used to examine serum samples collected from acute hepatitis patients positive for anti-HEV IgG and/or IgM, between 2007 and 2010. Seventeen patients (39.5%) tested HEV RNA-positive: 12 infections, due to genotype 1, were associated with travel to endemic areas (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan), while five infections, due to genotype 3, were presumably autochthonous. Risk factors identified in this group included exposure to raw seafood, pork liver sausages and wild boar. Results from the present study confirm that human HEV infection in Italy is caused by different genotypes, depending on whether the infection is travel-related or autochthonous.
AB - Human hepatitis E virus (HEV) is considered an emerging pathogen in industrialized countries. The aim of the present study was to contribute to the body of knowledge available on the molecular epidemiology of acute hepatitis E in Italy. Three sets of HEV-specific primers targeting the ORF1 and ORF2 were used to examine serum samples collected from acute hepatitis patients positive for anti-HEV IgG and/or IgM, between 2007 and 2010. Seventeen patients (39.5%) tested HEV RNA-positive: 12 infections, due to genotype 1, were associated with travel to endemic areas (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan), while five infections, due to genotype 3, were presumably autochthonous. Risk factors identified in this group included exposure to raw seafood, pork liver sausages and wild boar. Results from the present study confirm that human HEV infection in Italy is caused by different genotypes, depending on whether the infection is travel-related or autochthonous.
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U2 - 10.1099/vir.0.031278-0
DO - 10.1099/vir.0.031278-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 21471314
AN - SCOPUS:79959317106
VL - 92
SP - 1617
EP - 1626
JO - Journal of General Virology
JF - Journal of General Virology
SN - 0022-1317
IS - 7
ER -