Hepatitis E-An important cause of imported non-A, non-B hepatitis among migrant workers in Qatar

In 1985, Glynn et al. [Journal of Medical Virology 17:371–375] reported on epidemic viral hepatitis in Qatar and concluded that 72% (91/126) had acute enteric ally transmitted non‐A, non‐B viral hepatitis (ET‐NANBH). Most of the patients (98%) presented within 8 weeks of arrival in Qatar and were migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent. The data was reanalyzeda for evidence of infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV). Seventy‐eight of 91 (86%) of stored sera were still suitable for analysis since collection in 1981. A newly described enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for both IgG and IgM anti‐HEV was used (Abbott Laboratories, Delkenheim, Germany); 59/78 (76%) were positive for either or both assays. All but two were from the Indian subcontinent. The data suggest that HEV was the major cause of ET‐NANBH in Qatar in 1981, particularly among newly arrived migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.