OBJECTIVES: To study the spectrum and the clinical and biochemical course of viral hepatitis E during pregnancy. METHODS: In this prospective study, sera of 62 pregnant women having jaundice in the third trimester of pregnancy were analyzed for markers of hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses. The cord blood samples of hepatitis E virus (HEV)-positive pregnant women at the time of delivery were tested for IgM anti-HEV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and HEV-RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients, 45.2% had HEV infection and nine developed fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Eighty-one percent of FHF cases and 37.25% of acute viral hepatitis cases were caused by HEV. Approximately two-thirds of the pregnant women with HEV infection had preterm deliveries. The mortality rate among the HEV-positive pregnant women was 26.9%. Vertical transmission was observed in 33.3% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of the pregnant women with HEV infection had a severe form of hepatitis in the third trimester of pregnancy, i.e. FHF. Hepatitis E in pregnancy is associated with high rates of preterm labor and mortality.
OBJECTIVES: To study the spectrum and the clinical and biochemical course of viral hepatitis E during pregnancy. METHODS: In this prospective study, sera of 62 pregnant women having jaundice in the third trimester of pregnancy were analyzed for markers of hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses. The cord blood samples of hepatitis E virus (HEV)-positive pregnant women at the time of delivery were tested for IgM anti-HEV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and HEV-RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients, 45.2% had HEV infection and nine developed fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Eighty-one percent of FHF cases and 37.25% of acute viral hepatitis cases were caused by HEV. Approximately two-thirds of the pregnant women with HEV infection had preterm deliveries. The mortality rate among the HEV-positive pregnant women was 26.9%. Vertical transmission was observed in 33.3% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of the pregnant women with HEV infection had a severe form of hepatitis in the third trimester of pregnancy, i.e. FHF. Hepatitis E in pregnancy is associated with high rates of preterm labor and mortality.
Authors: Eda Rogers; Stephanie Michelle Todd; Frank William Pierson; Scott P Kenney; Connie Lynn Heffron; Danielle M Yugo; Shannon R Matzinger; Elena Mircoff; Irene Ngo; Charles Kirby; Michaela Jones; Paul Siegel; Peter Jobst; Karen Hall; Robert J Etches; Xiang-Jin Meng; Tanya LeRoith Journal: J Med Virol Date: 2019-07-25 Impact factor: 2.327
Authors: Natalie E Netzler; Daniel Enosi Tuipulotu; Subhash G Vasudevan; Jason M Mackenzie; Peter A White Journal: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Date: 2019-05-24 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: M Bouwknegt; B Engel; M M P T Herremans; M A Widdowson; H C Worm; M P G Koopmans; K Frankena; A M de Roda Husman; M C M De Jong; W H M Van Der Poel Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2007-06-20 Impact factor: 2.451