Aggiornamento monografico
Epatiti rare ma non troppo
HEPATITIS VIRUSES: OLD AND NEW MEMBERSHIP
GIUSEPPE MAGGIORE, SILVIA CAPRAI
Istituto di Clinica Pediatrica dell’Università di Pisa, Spedali di S. Chiara, Pisa
Ottobre 1997 - pagg. 497 -500
Abstract
The incidence of hepatitis A has recently
increased in Italy, the majority of cases
being adolescents or young adults living in
southern Italy. Shellfish consumption and
travel to endemic areas are the main risk
factors associated to an increased risk for
HAV infection. Hepatitis D endemicity is
decreased in Italy probably as a consequence
of the decreased pool of HBsAg
chronic carriers, the reduced family size,
the improved socio-economic conditions
and the changes of intravenous drug abuser
behaviour. Hepatitis E virus is a single
stranded RNA virus. The virus is transmitted
from contaminated drinking water. Fulminant
hepatitis may occur in 0.5 to 3% of
cases, but in pregnant women, it may reach
15 to 25%. Vertical transmission appears
to be frequent with occasional occurence
of fatal forms. Diagnosis is made by
detection of IgM and IgG by current ELISA
tests. Recombinant vaccines are currently
beig tested in animals. GBV-C and hepatitis
G virus are an unique virus recently described.
HGV may infect humans and the
presence of HGV-RNA in serum by polymerase
chain reaction demonstrates the infection.
HGV-RNA may be also found in
healthy individuals. Current evidence suggest
that the virus is probably harmless.
Parole chiave
Classificazione MeSH
Bibliografia
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8. Alter HJ, Nakatsuji Y, Melpolder J, Wages J, Wesley R, Shih JWK, Kim JP: The incidence of transfusion-associated Hepatitis G virus infection and its relation to liver disease. N Engl J Med 336, 747-54, 1997.
2. Maggiore G, Hadchouel M, Sessa F et al: A retrospective study of the role of delta agent infection in children with HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis. Hepatology 5, 7-9, 1985.
3. Sagnelli E, Stroffolini T, Ascione A, Chiaramonte M, Craxì A, Giusti G, Piccinino F: Decrease in HDV endemicity in Italy. J Hepatolol 26, 20-24, 1997.
4. Lok ASF, Soldevila-Pico C: Epidemiology and serologic diagnosis of hepatitis E. J Hepatol 20, 567-9, 1994.
5. Khuroo MS, Kamili S, Jameel S: Vertical transmission of hepatitis E virus. Lancet 345, 1025-6, 1995.
6. Deka N, Sharma MD, Mukerjee R: Isolation of a novel agent from human stool samples that is associated with sporadic non A non B hepatitis. J Virol 68, 7810-15, 1994.
7. Kiem HP, Storb R, McDonald GB: Hepatitis- Associated Aplastic anemia. N Engl J Med 337, 424-5, 1997.
8. Alter HJ, Nakatsuji Y, Melpolder J, Wages J, Wesley R, Shih JWK, Kim JP: The incidence of transfusion-associated Hepatitis G virus infection and its relation to liver disease. N Engl J Med 336, 747-54, 1997.