The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading causative agent of acute hepatitis in humans. Zoonotic HEV strains have been isolated from several animal species, including pigs. New HEV variants have been recently isolated from camels in the Middle East. In the present study, fecal samples from fallow deer, formosan deer, alpaca, and guanaco were analyzed for the detection of HEV. One HEV strain was detected from guanaco, a species of camelids. The nucleotide sequence of guanaco HEV was identical to those of deer HEV-3 strains, which implied the cross-species transmission of HEV-3 from deer to guanaco.

총수담관 담석에 의한 폐쇄성 황달 발생시 일반적으로 담즙정체형 간기능 이상을 보이나 일부 환자에서는 아미노전이효소가 1,000 IU/L 이상 증가되는 간세포손상형의 간기능 이상을 보여 급성 간염으로 오인되는 경우가 있다. 이에 저자 등은 아미노전이효소가 1,000 IU/L 이상 상승하였고 혈청 ALP 검사치는 정상이며 영상검사에서 담관계 질환이 관찰되지 않아 급성 간염으로 진단 후 치료 중 급성 담관염으로 재진단된 1 예를 경험하였기에 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of liver and gallbladder in patients with acute hepatitis A during transabdominal ultrasonography (US). In this study, we included 61 patients with acute hepatitis A and 50 controls. Wall thickness and lumen diameter of gallbladder were measured for determined the mural edema and hypertonicity of gallbladder. To evaluate the hepatic size and stiffness, two sagittal images of the left lobe of the liver were obtained during the resting state (resting image) and at full inspiration (stress image). The elongation rate was calculated by a formula: (L2-L1/L1)×100 (%); where L1 and L2 are the length of the liver for both the resting and stress image. The elongation rate was compared between controls and patients with acute hepatitis A. The wall thickness and lumen diameter of gallbladder were 7.0±3.5mm, 10.2±9.9mm, respectively. In 21 cases (34%), the lumen of gallbladder was collapsed. The mean diameter of left lobe in patients with acute hepatitis A (10.3±1.4cm)was larger than that of controls (8.2±1.1cm). The elongation rate in patients with acute hepatitis A (8.0±8.8%) was smaller than that of controls (25.5±13.4%). Robust US findings in patients with acute hepatitis A were edematous gallbladder with collapse and hepatomegaly with stiffness.

Albendazole is the most commonly used medication worldwide for parasitic infestation. Albendazole may induce side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and headache, however hepatotoxicity is rare. A 37-year old woman was admitted to the hospital due to headache. Her child had been repeatedly infected with enterobius vermicularis, therefore she took albendazole three times for prophylactic purposes. The patient was diagnosed with hepatotoxicity induced by Albendazole based on a history of drug use; clinical symptoms and laboratory tests improved after ceasing drug administration, with a Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) score of 12.

A 67-year-old man visited our hospital with anorexia and abdominal discomfort after taking herb for 3 months. Abdominal computed tomograpy showed splenomegaly. Blood test showed elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase level, thrombocytopenia, and there was no viral or autoimmune hepatitis. Liver biopsy showed comprehensive fibrotic changes and necrosis on iver parenchyma. He recovered within 1 week after stopping the herb. There was no disease recurrence for 1 year. No case of toxic hepatitis by taking Fritillaria thunbergii Miquel has been reported. Thus, this case proved for the first time that Fritillaria thunbergii Miquel could cause drug induced liver injury.

식중독 유발 바이러스인 HAV는 제 1군 감염병원으로 규정되면서 감염 시 원인식품을 빠르게 분석하게 되었으며 그로 인해 정확하면서 빠른 검출기술을 요구하게 되었다. 본 연구에서는 HAV에 오염된 상추에서 신속하게 바이러스를 검사하기 위해서 IMS를 통하여 신속하게 HAV를 순수 분리 및 농축하였고, 형광물질인 quantum dot을 활용하여 형광검출을 실시하였다. 또한 일반적으로 바이러스 농축에 사용되는 PEG 농축방법과 비교하였을 때 검출능은 유사한 결과를 얻었으나, 농축시간 면에서는 IMS를 통한 방법이 효과적이었다. 또한 IMS 방법으로 확보된 항원을 Quantum dot을 활용하여 10분 이내에 바이러스를 검출할 수 있었다. 본 연구에서 제시된 검출기반은 식품 유통 과정 중 다양한 식중독 바이러스로부터 소비자를 보호 할 수 있는 검사방법으로 활용될 수 있다고 기대된다.