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Published on: November 27, 2019
Acute Hepatitis in Children Due to Rat Hepatitis E Virus
Javier Caballero-Gómez1, Sara Pereira2, Irene Rivero-Calle3
1Unit of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain; Animal Health Department, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Rat hepatitis E virus infection was identified in two children with acute hepatitis of unknown origin. This finding suggests rat hepatitis E virus should be considered in diagnosing pediatric acute hepatitis cases.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Acute hepatitis in children presents diagnostic challenges.
- The etiology of hepatitis in some pediatric cases remains unknown.
- Rat hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of rat hepatitis E virus in pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown origin.
- To identify novel causes of hepatitis in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients presenting with acute hepatitis.
- Diagnostic testing for various hepatitis viruses, including rat HEV.
Main Results:
- Two out of eleven children with acute hepatitis of unknown origin were diagnosed with rat hepatitis E virus infection.
- This represents a significant proportion of the undiagnosed cases.
Conclusions:
- Rat hepatitis E virus infection is a potential cause of acute hepatitis in children.
- Consideration of rat HEV in the differential diagnosis of pediatric acute hepatitis is warranted.
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