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Detection of HEV RNA in faeces, by RT‐PCR, during the epidemics of hepatitis E in India (1976–1995)
Author(s) -
Chobe L. P.,
Chadha M. S.,
Banerjee K.,
Arankalle V. A.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.1997.tb00215.x
Subject(s) - feces , hepatitis e virus , incubation period , hepatitis e , biology , virology , incubation , veterinary medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , genotype , biochemistry , gene
SUMMARY. Out of the 15 hepatitis E (HEV) epidemics that occurred during the years 1976–1995 in the Gujarat and Maharashtra states of India, 45.78% (76/166) stool samples showed the presence of HEV RNA. HEV RNA was found significantly more often in samples that were transported in liquid nitrogen (50.9%) compared with samples that were transported in wet ice (37.0%) ( P < 0.05). Stool samples collected within 7 days after the onset of the disease (59.2%) were more often positive for HEV RNA when compared with samples that were collected 7–20 days after the onset of the disease (28.5%) ( P < 0.01). It has been observed in experimentally infected Rhesus monkeys that they excrete HEV throughout the incubation period and for a variable length of time after the elevation of serum ALT levels. A similar situation is found in humans.