Viral clade is associated with severity of symptomatic genotype 3 hepatitis E virus infections in Belgium, 2010-2018.

Background & Aims: HEV genotype (gt) 3 infections are prevalent in high-income countries and display a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Host - but not viral - factors are reported to be associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Methods: Demographic, clinical, and biochemical data laboratory-confirmed HEV infections (by PCR and/or a combination of IgM and IgG serology) at the Belgian National Reference Centre between January 2010 and June 2018 were collected using standardised case report forms.

Value of preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass hinders post-operative endoscopic evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Our aims were to determine the prevalence of preoperative endoscopic findings in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and to determine the proportion of patients in which these findings changed surgical management.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated electronic medical records of patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with routine antral biopsy for Helicobacter pylori (HP) detection, prior to LRYGB between January 2003 and January 2010 at our institution.