THE ROLE OF HEPATITIS-E VIRUS IN ACUTE SPORADIC NON-A, NON-B-HEPATITIS

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the cause of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis. Water-borne epidemics have been reported in m any developing countries primarily affecting young and middle-aged adu lts. To determine the role of HEV in acute sporadic NANB hepatitis, we have studied the profiles of anti-HEV IgG in the sera of patients pre viously diagnosed for NANB hepatitis. We tested the sera of 53 patient s with acute NANB hepatitis and 100 healthy people as a control group for anti-HEV IgG. Thirty-nine of the 53 patients (73.3%) and none of t he control group were positive for HEV infection, according to results shown by ELISA. This result suggests that HEV is a common cause of ac ute sporadic NANB hepatitis in Turkey. Further studies are needed in t he other regions to determine the true prevalence of HEV infection in Turkey.