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Aim: To assess seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) in healthy blood donors and hepatitis B, C patients. Methods: 450 subjects consisted of 200 blood donors in Tehran blood transfusion center, 100 subjects with hepatitis C and 150 subjects with hepatitis B infection enrolled in this study. The A549 cell line was grown in mixed medium. Cells were infected with hepatitis E virus that was purified from stool sample of a patient confirmed for hepatitis E infection by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Supernatant of infected cells was used as positive control in our RT- PCR assay. Results: In a total of 450 subjects, 33 (7.3%) had positive anti-HEV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-HEV was seen in (9/200) 4.5%, (7/100) 7%, and (17/150) 11.3% of healthy blood donors, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B subjects, respectively. Difference between two groups was statistically significance (P = 0.028). Difference between frequency of anti-HEV in hepatitis B in relation to healthy blood donors was significant (P = 0.014). Conclusions: HEV infection is more common in subjects with hepatitis B. Keywords: Hepatitis E virus, Seroprevalence, Transmission, Iran doi: 10.3329/blj.v1i1.2623 Bangladesh Liver Journal Vol.1(1) 2009 p.34-37

Viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by hepatitis viruses. The most common causes of viral hepatitis are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E. The aim of this study is to assess the biochemical parameters in viral hepatitis which varies with respect to the different types of viral hepatitis. Sex of the patient affected by Hepatitis A was almost similar in male and female, being 9 (45%) and 11 (55%) in respectively. But in contrast, more than eighty per cent (85%) Hepatitis-E affected population was male. Similar scenario was found in Hepatitis B And C infection (Male- 75%,67%, Female 25,35%). Mean value with standard deviation (±SD) of serum bilirubin level was highest in Hepatitis E (251 ± 125.19 ìmol/l). Value of serum ALT in hepatitis E was found to be 1794 U/l (highest), hepatitis B 1362 U/l hepatitis C are 135.45 U/L,. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (S.AST) is also raised in all types of vira hepatitis but more in Hepatitis E (765 U/l) and Hepatitis B (430 U/l). Serum Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was raised significantly in Hepatitis B (240 U/l). The prothombin time was more altered in Hepatitis-E (22.7seconds) and Hepatitis-B (18.5 seconds). There was no significant alteration in serum protein level. So, it can be concluded that derangement of biochemical parameters in patients suffering from common types of viral hepatitis is more in HEV and HBV and comparatively less in HAV and HCV. Keywords: Viral hepatitis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, hepatitis E DOI:10.3329/jom.v11i1.4268 J Medicine 2010: 11: 42-45

Background: The knowledge of distribution and pattern of liver disease in a tertiary care center provides an overview of disease pattern in a community. It also helps in planning and prioritizing strategies to treat the diseases and reduce their burden in the community. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among patients admitted to the Liver unit, Bir Hospital from April 13, 2008 to October 16, 2008. Demographic profile and disease pattern was studied. Descriptive analysis was used to calculate frequencies and percentage and their relations. Results: Male to female ratio was 2.3:1. The mean age was 41.9 (SD 14.8). Median hospital stay was 8.0 days (Q25-75 6.0-12.0). The top three diseases were alcoholic liver disease 50 (38.5%), viral hepatitis 44 (33.8%), and liver abscess 11 (8.5%). Fifty (38.5%) patients had acute, 74 (56.9%) had chronic liver disease and 6 (4.6%) were malignancy. The main cause of acute disease were infections 41 (82.0%) especially Hepatitis E Virus (HEV). HEV was associated with acute liver failure and pregnancy which was 4 (18.2%) and 2 (12.5%) respectively. Chronic diseases were caused by alcohol 45 (60.8%) followed by infection of hepatitis B and C viruses 11 (14.8%). Cirrhosis was diagnosed in 37 (28.5%) with alcohol as the main cause. Conclusions: Majority had chronic liver disease (CLD), mostly due to alcohol, HBV and HCV. Alcohol was the leading cause of cirrhosis. Prevalence of Hepatitis E was found to be high in acute illness. Therefore, an initiative needs to be taken to decrease alcohol consumption along with HEV, HBV and HCV transmission through community health program. Key words: Alcohol, cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver disease DOI: 10.3126/jnhrc.v7i1.2273 Journal of Nepal Health Research Council Vol. 7, No. 1, 2009 April 14-18

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) otherwise known as Acute Inflammatory Polyneuritis, characterized by acute progressive limb weakness and aretlexia, is the prototype of a post infectious autoimmune disease. Two-thirds of the cases of GBS emerge from viral or bacterial infection. In August 2006, a 20 year old man presented at ICU, BIRDEM Hospital with a history of brief icteric illness followed by progressive bilateral symmetrical hypotonic aretlexic muscular weakness, bilateral infra-nuclear facial palsy and bulbar weakness. Later on, he was diagnosed as a case of GBS and acute hepatitis E. Up till now, only three cases of GBS associated with hepatitis E have been reported in the medical literature world wide. This is probably the 4th case to be reported. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2008; 2(1): 32-34 Key words: Guillain-Barré Syndrome, acute hepatitis E doi: 10.3329/imcj.v2i1.2930

SINCE the nineteenth century there have been epidemics of jaundice that have been attributed to water-borne transmission. The evidence accumulated in recent years is sufficiently complete to warrant recognition of this mode of spread of infectious hepatitis as an epidemiologic entity. In this regard, infectious hepatitis is the first viral disease for which a water-borne route of infection has been generally accepted. Such a route has been postulated for poliomyelitis,1 but no studies have been reported in which conclusive evidence was obtained.2 It is believed that person-to-person contact is the most frequent type of transmission of infectious hepatitis, and there . . .

JN DECEMBER 1956 the bureau of epidemiology and communicable disease control of the New York State Department of Health was informed that a number of cases of jaundice had occurred in the township of Rhinebeck, N.Y. Preliminary investigation suggested that transmission of infection might have occurred through the chlorinated municipal water supply. Although spread of hepatitis by chlorinated water systems has been reported twice before (1, 2), additional documentation of an outbreak presumably caused in this manner seems indicated. Within Rhinebeck Township lies the incorporated village of Rhinebeck, with an estimated population of 2,300, situated about 2 miles from the Hudson River. Along the river in the same township and connected to Rhinebeck by a road is a smaller community, Rhinecliff, with a population of 660 (fig. 1). The two communities are served by three physicians, Dr. Martin J. Poppo, Dr. William G. Thompson, and Dr. Frederick C. Cohn. All three cooperated in the study. These physicians live in Rhinebeck and practice in a wide surrounding rural area. They stated that, prior to the present episode, they could recall only rare cases of jaundice, and these were, in their opinion, obstructive rather than infectious.