Hepatitis E virus infection in Latin America: A review

Abstract

Data reported during recent years reveal the complex picture of the epidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in Latin America. Whereas in countries like Argentina and Brazil is almost identical to the characteristic of most countries from North America and Europe, HEV in the Caribbean and Mexico involves the water-borne, non-zoonotic viral genotypes responsible for epidemics in Asia and Africa. Nevertheless, Latin America has been considered a highly endemic region for hepatitis E in the scientific literature, a generalization that ignores the above complexity. In addition, reports from isolated Amerindian communities, which display well known, important and very specific epidemiological features for hepatitis B and D virus infections are neither taken into account when considering the epidemiology of hepatitis E in the region. This review updates compilation of the available information for the HEV infection, both among humans and other mammals, in Latin America, discusses the strengths and the weaknesses of our current knowledge, and identifies future areas of research.

First Report of Hepatitis E Virus Circulation in Domestic Pigs in Nigeria

“…1,23 In Nigeria, the husbandry systems practiced include intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive or free range farming 24 where pigs are either housed or allowed to roam freely to scavenge for food. In the free range system, pigs travel far in search of food and water.…”

Serological evidence of Hepatitis E Virus infection in Antioquia, Colombia slaughtered pigs

“…In Latin America, the first serologic evidence of the virus in humans was found in Venezuela in 1994; later, in other research on the seroprevalence of HEV in countries in the region, varying percentages were found in the different human populations studied, none of which exceed 20% (5). Additionally, the viral genome has been detected in humans in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay, where genotype 3 has been identified; however, in Venezuela and Argentina genotype 1 has been found (5).…”

An Atypical Presentation of Hepatitis E in Pregnancy

“…It is transmitted enterically with worldwide distribution and is responsible for both sporadic cases and large hepatitis epidemics in developing countries [2].…”