[Development of a multiplex technique for detecting simultaneously HAV RNA and HEV RNA]

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is increasingly recognized as a cause of hepatitis, including in non-endemic regions.
• HEV infection is confirmed as a zoonosis, necessitating its consideration beyond travel-related cases in endemic areas.
• Waterborne outbreaks of HEV, similar to Hepatitis A virus (HAV), continue to occur in endemic regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel molecular diagnostic technique.
• To enable the simultaneous detection of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA and Hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA.
• To evaluate the performance of this new assay on clinical specimens.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multiplex molecular assay.
• Validation of the assay's performance characteristics.
• Application of the assay to analyze clinical samples.

Main Results:

• The study successfully developed a new molecular technique.
• The technique allows for the simultaneous detection of HAV RNA and HEV RNA.
• The assay demonstrated effectiveness when evaluated on clinical specimens.

Conclusions:

• A new, validated molecular method for simultaneous HAV and HEV RNA detection is available.
• This assay can aid in diagnosing hepatitis cases, particularly in non-endemic settings where HEV is emerging.
• The tool supports public health efforts in monitoring and controlling hepatitis outbreaks caused by these viruses.