Recent high incidence of fulminant hepatitis in Samara, Russia: molecular analysis of prevailing hepatitis B and D virus strains.

ABSTRACT: Until 1991, the Russian city of Samara was largely isolated from other parts of Russia and the rest of the world. Very recently, Samara has seen an alarming increase in the incidence of hepatitis. The proportion of fulminant cases is unusually high. We wanted to assess the roles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) in acute viral hepatitis in this region by analyzing the prevailing strains of both and by determining their genotypes and possible origin. Serum samples were screened for different serological markers and by PCR followed by direct sequencing. Of the 94 HBV-positive samples (80% of which were acute infections), 37 (39%) were also HDV positive. Sixty-seven percent of the patients had anti-HCV antibodies. Twenty-five percent of all patients in the study had fulmi

SUBMITTER: Flodgren E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC87379 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature