Environmental hepatitis E virus detection supported by serological evidence in the northwest of Argentina

PISANO, MARÍA B; LUGO, BELÉN C; POMA, RAMIRO; CRISTÓBAL, HÉCTOR A; RASKOVSKY, VIVIANA; MARTÍNEZ WASSAF, MARIBEL G; RAJAL, VERÓNICA B; RÉ, VIVIANA E

TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2018 vol. 112 p. 181 - 187

0035-9203

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. Water contaminationis a possible source of viral infection. In South America, particularly in Argentina, little is known about environmentalHEV circulation, including recreational water. The aim of this work was to provide evidence of currentenvironmental and human circulation of HEV in northern Argentina.Methods: Molecular detection of HEV in water samples from the Arias?Arenales River in the city of Salta bynested polymerase chain reaction (ORF2 region) and anti-HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM detection inthe general population by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out.Results: HEV RNA was detected in 1.6% (3/189) of the environmental samples. All sequences belonged to HEVgenotype 3 and were very similar to those previously detected in the country. The prevalence of IgG anti-HEVwas 9% (13/143) and three samples were positive for specific IgM.Conclusions: Circulation of HEV in the northwest of Argentina was demonstrated for the first time, showingviral presence in environmental samples and infections in people who attended health care centres for routinecontrol. These findings show that recreational waters are a possible source of virus and highlight the need tocarry out HEV detection when a case of hepatitis occurs.