Nguyen Thi Kim
Tien *, Ha Ba Khiem*, Pham Kim Sac *,
Vu Tuyet Nhung *, Luong Chan Quang*, A.L. Corwin**
*Pasteur Institute in
The natural
epidemic of hepatitis E virus (HEV) transmission is well documented throughout
HEV was the main
cause of acute viral hepatitis (24.4% in An Phu district and 16% in Tan Chau
district. Most of HEV positive patients were adults (more than 20 years old)
and all of them had signs of jaundice sclera and dark urine. There were more
HEV positive cases in the rainy season (from June to October).
The results of a
community cohort prospective study on 400 school-children in those districts
showed that there were HEV prevalence in healthy student (21.6% in An Phu and
8% in Tan Chau) (p=0.003). Sero-conversion rate in An Phu and in Tan Chau after
1 year of following was 0.7% and 1.2%, and after 2 following years was 5.1% and
1.9%. Prevalence of HEV infection of family members of HEV(+)
school children was 14.7%, while one of HEV(–) school children was 5.9%. Living
together in the same household might be one of the risk factors for HEV
transmission.
To determine
whether animals in the An Phu district were naturally infected with HEV, sera
collected from 25 pigs, 81 rats, 56 dogs, 93 chickens and 25 goats were examined
for IgG anti HEV. Antibodies to HEV were detected in chickens (44%), pigs
(36%), dogs (27%) and rats (9%) but not in any goat examined.
The transmission of
HEV among patients, community and animals was detected in one district of the