Hepatitis E and hepatitis C virus infections among French soldiers with non‐A, non‐B hepatitis

Abstract

Serologic markers of HCV and HEV were investigated in 74 French soldiers with non-A, non-B hepatitis and in 18 patients involved in an outbreak of non-A,non-B hepatitis in Algeria. Moreover, anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 13 patients with non-A,non-B hepatitis of parenteral origin. HEV antibodies were investigated in 61-65% of patients involved in the 2 enterically transmitted outbreaks of non-A,non-B hepatitis observed in Algeria and Chad. The third cluster of non-A,non-B hepatitis observed in French soldiers serving in French Guyana is more likely to be attributed to malaria prophylactic treatment with Amodiaquine than to a viral origin. HCV infection was observed in 93% of acute or chronic cases associated with blood transfusion or parenteral drug abuse. Among acute cases, none of the soldiers who contracted the disease in Africa or in French Guyana was found to be anti-HCV positive compared to 78% of those who contracted the disease in France. HCV infections resulted in chronic hepatitis in 61% of cases.

Role of hepatitis E virus in sporadic cases of acute and fulminant hepatitis in an endemic area (Chad).

“…[1][2][3] Until now, nine outbreaks of HEV have been identified in African countries, including Algeria, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Somalia. [4][5][6][7][8][9] The development of specific serologic tests has been necessary to demonstrate the existence of sporadic HEV infections. [9][10][11][12][13][14] In China, sporadic cases have been estimated to represent 10% of all acute hepatitis cases.…”

“…Moreover, from time to time (every 5-10 years) an increase in the number of hospitalized cases of jaundice between November and January has been observed, and such cases are generally suspected to be due to enterically transmitted hepatitis E virus. In view of these characteristics and the fact that HEV outbreaks were reported in French soldiers staying in Chad in 1983-1984, 7,16 we looked for acute hepatitis cases hospitalized in the N'Djamena area of Chad during 1993 and investigated these patients for antibodies against hepatitis E (anti-HEV) and for serologic markers of infection by hepatitis viruses types A, B, and C.…”

Hepatitis E Virus: Relevance in Blood Donors and Other Risk Groups

“…Second, the seroprevalence in blood donors is significantly lower than that in hemodialysis patients (p<0.01), suggesting that parenteral transmission of HEV may be occurring in hospital. A hospital outbreak of hepatitis E has been reported [11], and the possibility of posttransfusion hepatitis E has been suggested by some authors [12, 13], since viremia has been detected at early stages of infection [14]. However, data obtained in our 42 children with posttransfusion HCV do not suggest parenteral transmission.…”

Hepatitis E Virus: Relevance in Blood Donors and Risk Groups

“…Second, the seroprevalence in blood donors is significantly lower than in haemodialysis patients (p<0.01), suggesting that parenteral transmission of HEV may be occurring in hospital. A hospital outbreak of hepatitis E has been reported [11], and the possibility of post–transfusion hepatitis E has been suggested by some authors [12, 13], since viraemia has been detected at early stages of infection [14]. However, data obtained in our 42 children with post–transfusion HCV do not suggest parenteral transmission.…”