[The system of epidemiological control of hepatitis E and complex of anti-epidemic, hygienic and veterinary sanitary activities in the Belgorod oblast].

The Hepatitis E (HE) is a viral liver disease that is common on all continents at different rates and very frequently is not symptomatically distinguishable from other viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A, B and C, as well as from other infectious diseases referred to as "acute jaundice syndrome". The GE-anthroponosis (in the case of infection caused by genotypes 1 or 2 of hepatitis E virus) or anthropozoonosis (in the case of infection caused by 3 or 4 viruses) is predominantly propagated through fecal-oral transmission. The article presents the general characteristics of VGE, human risk factors and means of prevention. The particular attention is paid to the development of complex of anti-epidemic, hygienic and veterinary sanitary measures in the Belgorod Oblast.

[The duration of preservation of anamnestic antibodies to hepatitis E virus.]

The purpose of the study was to determine the duration of antibody response against hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV). Veterans of the war in Afghanistan who were in this endemic region in the late 1970s and early 1980s were tested for anti-HEV. On average, 20 years after the end of military service in Afghanistan, the rate of seropositivity was 30.0% (95/317), which was significantly higher compared to positivity rates in males who were at military service in the territory of Russia during the same period (3.9%, 8/208). At an average of 29.5 years after the visit to Afghanistan anti-HEV prevalence in veterans dropped to 20.0% (21/105), but still significantly exceeded the seroprevalence in general population (3.8%). Serum samples from elderly individuals (>60 years) without known risk factors of infection were also tested for anti-HEV IgG and IgM (n = 896). Anti-HEV IgG detection rates in the elderly from two regions of Russia exceeded those observed of primary blood donors (18.0-27.8% vs. 4.5-10.0%, p<0.01). The detection of anti-HEV IgM in individuals above 60 years (2.7-6.9%) indicates a current or recent infection. Thus, anti-HEV IgG can persist several decades after the infection. This might account for the wide anti-HEV prevalence among the elderly. At the same time, a significant proportion of individuals exposed to HEV lose detectable anti-HEV IgG within 20-30 years. The detection of anti-HEV IgM among the elderly indicates the viral circulation in older age groups, suggesting the need for testing for hepatitis E markers in elderly patients with liver diseases.

[A CASE OF IMPORT OF GENOTYPE 4 HEPATITIS E VIRUS INTO RUSSIA].

AIM: Description of the first documented case of imported hepatitis E, associated with geno- type 4 of HEV and introduced from southern France. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical, epidemio- logic and laboratory analysis of the imported case of disease of hepatitis E was carried out. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of HEV isolate, taken from the patient, was carried out. RESULTS: Epidemiologic analysis allowed to assume imported character of the detected case of HEV-infection. Comparative analysis ofnucleotide sequences of regions ofthe open reading frame 2 (300 nt) and open reading frame 1 (721 nt) of HEV genome, isolated from the patient, showed identity of this isolate with variants of genotype 4 HEV, isolated in France in 2009 - 2011 from patients with autochthonous hepatitis E. CONCLUSION: The results obtained confirm the case of import into Russia of genotype 4 HEV from south-eastern France (Corsica), where spread of this virus genotype is observed in recent years.