Nicole M F van Gerven1, Annemiek A van der Eijk2, Suzan D Pas2, Hans L Zaaijer3, Ynto S de Boer4, Birgit I Witte5, Carin M J van Nieuwkerk4, Chris J J Mulder4, Gerd Bouma4, Robert A de Man6. 1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. n.vangerven@vumc.nl. 2. Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Blood-borne infections, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 4. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 5. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Centre,Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 6. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In recent years chronic courses of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection have been described in immunosuppressed individuals. This may implicate a potential role for HEV in the development of autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Here we investigated the prevalence of HEV-antibodies in AIH patients in an endemic Central European country. METHODS: HEV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and HEV RNA were determined in 354 and 377 AIH patients, respectively. Clinical characteristics and disease outcome parameters were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: No HEV viraemic patients were identified in this cohort. A total of 106 AIH patients (29.9%) tested positive for anti-HEV IgG, and this figure was slightly higher compared to the prevalence in a reference cohort including 5,329 healthy Dutch blood donors (26.7%; P>0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the largest study on the association between HEV infection and AIH. Apparently silent HEV infection is present in a significant proportion of AIH patients, yet appears not to have significant clinical repercussions in this immune compromised group of patients. Nevertheless, since acute hepatitis E may present with histological and biochemical features of AIH, the possibility of a (concomitant) HEV infection should be considered in this category of patients.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In recent years chronic courses of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection have been described in immunosuppressed individuals. This may implicate a potential role for HEV in the development of autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Here we investigated the prevalence of HEV-antibodies in AIH patients in an endemic Central European country. METHODS:HEV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and HEV RNA were determined in 354 and 377 AIH patients, respectively. Clinical characteristics and disease outcome parameters were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: No HEV viraemic patients were identified in this cohort. A total of 106 AIH patients (29.9%) tested positive for anti-HEV IgG, and this figure was slightly higher compared to the prevalence in a reference cohort including 5,329 healthy Dutch blood donors (26.7%; P>0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the largest study on the association between HEVinfection and AIH. Apparently silent HEVinfection is present in a significant proportion of AIH patients, yet appears not to have significant clinical repercussions in this immune compromised group of patients. Nevertheless, since acute hepatitis E may present with histological and biochemical features of AIH, the possibility of a (concomitant) HEVinfection should be considered in this category of patients.
Authors: Nwe Ni Than; James Hodson; Daniel Schmidt-Martin; Richard Taubert; Rebecca E Wawman; Meemee Botter; Nishant Gautam; Kilian Bock; Rebecca Jones; Gautham D Appanna; Andrew Godkin; Aldo J Montano-Loza; Frank Lammert; Christoph Schramm; Michael P Manns; Mark Swain; Kelly W Burak; David H Adams; Gideon M Hirschfield; Ye Htun Oo Journal: JHEP Rep Date: 2019-11-05
Authors: Thomas Horvatits; Julian Schulze Zur Wiesch; Susanne Polywka; Gustav Buescher; Marc Lütgehetmann; Elaine Hussey; Karoline Horvatits; Sven Peine; Friedrich Haag; Marylyn M Addo; Ansgar W Lohse; Christina Weiler-Normann; Sven Pischke Journal: Pathogens Date: 2020-09-16
Authors: Richard Taubert; Jana Diestelhorst; Norman Junge; Martha M Kirstein; Sven Pischke; Arndt Vogel; Heike Bantel; Ulrich Baumann; Michael P Manns; Heiner Wedemeyer; Elmar Jaeckel Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-11-28 Impact factor: 4.379