Enterically transmitted hepatitis in the third millennium in northeastern Romania

Mihai,Ioana Florina; Manciuc,Carmen; Hunea,Ioana Maria; Lacatusu,Georgiana Alexandra; Leonte,Georgiana Enache; Luca,Stefana; Harja‑Αlexa,Ioana Alina; Vata,Andrei; Luca,Mihaela Catalina

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.9705

Enterically transmitted hepatitis in the third millennium in northeastern Romania

Authors:
- Ioana Florina Mihai
- Carmen Manciuc
- Ioana Maria Hunea
- Georgiana Alexandra Lacatusu
- Georgiana Enache Leonte
- Stefana Luca
- Ioana Alina Harja‑Αlexa
- Andrei Vata
- Mihaela Catalina Luca
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Affiliations: Department of Infectious Diseases, ‘Sf. Parascheva’ Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 700116 Iasi, Romania, Department of Infectious Diseases, ‘Grigore T. Popa’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Published online on: January 25, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9705
Article Number: 274

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Abstract

While the incidence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections has decreased in the last few years, the incidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) is increasing in developed countries. Both infections remain a worldwide reality, strongly related to socio‑economic conditions. We retrospectively analyzed the medical files of patients with viral hepatitis hospitalized in the Infectious Disease Hospital Iasi, Romania between 2018 and 2019. The serological confirmed cases of HAV and HEV infections were included in the analysis; included in our analysis were 269 HAV‑infected patients. The most affected were males (53.9% cases) aged between 8 and 15 years (53.6% cases). Severe infections were recorded at admission in 2.24% cases and evolution was favorable under supportive and symptomatic treatment. Only three adult males, with no recent history of travel, were confirmed with HEV infection. Even though we have identified a small number of cases, recent studies performed in our region found a seroprevalence of 32.5% in the general population, possibly related to zoonotic transmission. While outbreaks of HAV infection are still noted in our region, a lack of hospitalized HEV‑infected patients suggest that most cases are asymptomatic or underdiagnosed. HEV infection remains an underreported disease, possibly due to misdiagnosis, subclinical or dual hepatitis infection, but with a significant risk in vulnerable categories, such as pregnant women or immunosuppressed patients.

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