Hepatitis E virus in children and adolescents living in an urban environment in central Argentina: An explorative study
Lorena L. Cervella,
Cecilia García Oro,
Anabella C. Fantilli,
Guadalupe Di Cola,
Maribel G. Martínez Wassaf,
Gabriela Oropeza,
Gonzalo M. Castro,
Paola Sicilia,
Viviana E. Ré,
Maria Belén Pisano
Affiliations
Lorena L. Cervella
Hospital Infantil Municipal, Municipalidad de Córdoba, Luis de Góngora 550, Alta Córdoba, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Cecilia García Oro
Hospital Infantil Municipal, Municipalidad de Córdoba, Luis de Góngora 550, Alta Córdoba, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Anabella C. Fantilli
Instituto de Virología “Dr. J. M. Vanella”, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
Guadalupe Di Cola
Instituto de Virología “Dr. J. M. Vanella”, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
Maribel G. Martínez Wassaf
LACE Laboratorios, Av. Vélez Sársfield 528, Centro, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Gabriela Oropeza
Hospital Infantil Municipal, Municipalidad de Córdoba, Luis de Góngora 550, Alta Córdoba, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Gonzalo M. Castro
Laboratorio Central de la Provincia, Ministerio de Salud, Gobierno de la Provincia de Córdoba, Tránsito Cáceres de Allende 421, Nueva Córdoba, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Paola Sicilia
Laboratorio Central de la Provincia, Ministerio de Salud, Gobierno de la Provincia de Córdoba, Tránsito Cáceres de Allende 421, Nueva Córdoba, CP, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
Viviana E. Ré
Instituto de Virología “Dr. J. M. Vanella”, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina
Maria Belén Pisano
Instituto de Virología “Dr. J. M. Vanella”, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina; Corresponding author. María Bélen Pisano. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J. M. Vanella”, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNC. Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.
In Argentina, circulation of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 has been described, producing sporadic cases of acute and chronic hepatitis. Limited information is available regarding HEV infection in children, so we aimed to investigate this virus in a pediatric population from the country. Serum samples from Argentine children (0–18 years old) (n = 213) were studied for IgG anti-HEV, IgM anti-HEV and RNA-HEV: 202 samples belonged to individuals attending health-care centers for routine check-ups, and 11 samples from patients with acute hepatitis of unknown etiology. Seropositivity for IgG anti-HEV was 1.49 % (3/202). One sample from an 18-years-old female patient with acute hepatitis tested positive for IgM anti-HEV detection, negative for IgG anti-HEV and RNA-HEV, but also positive for IgM anti-EBV. The HEV prevalence was low and showed circulation among children in central Argentina.
