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Molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus in children with fulminant hepatic failure in Argentina
Author(s) -
Munné María Silvina,
Vladimirsky Sara,
Moreiro Rita,
Ciocca Mirta,
Cuarterolo Miriam,
Otegui Lucio,
Soto Sonia,
Brajterman Leonardo,
Castro Raúl,
Sasbón Jorge,
Gianivelli Silvina,
Buamscha Daniel,
Quarleri Jorge,
González Jorge E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2007.01634.x
Subject(s) - fulminant hepatic failure , fulminant , fulminant hepatitis , virology , medicine , virus , viral hepatitis , hepatitis a , disease , immunology , hepatitis , pediatrics , liver transplantation , transplantation
Background: Hepatitis A infection, a vaccine‐preventable disease, is an important cause of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in children in Argentina. Universal vaccination in 1‐year‐old children was implemented in June 2005. The limited studies about the correlation between the characteristics of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and FHF have been carried out in adults. Methods: Samples from 41 children with FHF were studied from September 2003 to January 2006 and HAV RNA was detected, sequenced and analysed in the 5′ non‐coding region and VP1/2A region. Results: Eighteen HAV strains were characterized and found to be different at the nucleotide level from the self‐limited acute infection strains that have been circulating in Argentina with no temporal or geographical pattern. They did not form a genetic cluster, but some of them were identical in the largest fragment characterized and some of them seemed to be more closely related in time and/or geographically. Conclusion: Our results suggest that viral factors could be involved in the severity of the clinical presentation of HAV infection in children in Argentina.