DETECTION OF HEV RNA IN FECES, BY RT-PCR, DURING THE EPIDEMICS OF HEPATITIS-E IN INDIA (1976-1995)

Out of the 15 hepatitis E (HEV) epidemics that occurred during the yea rs 1976-1995 in the Gujarat and Maharashtra states of India, 45.78% (7 6/166) stool samples showed the presence of HEV RNA, HEV RNA was found significantly more often in samples that were transported in liquid n itrogen (50.9%) compared with samples that were transported in wet ice (37.0%) (P < 0.05), Stool samples collected within 7 days after the o nset of the disease (59.2%) were more often positive for HEV RNA when compared with samples that were collected 7-20 days after the onset of the disease (28.5%) (P < 0.01), It has been observed in experimentall y infected Rhesus monkeys that they excrete HEV throughout the incubat ion period and for a variable length of time after the elevation of se rum ALT levels, A similar situation is found in humans.