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Hepatitis E, the neglected one
Author(s) -
BlascoPerrin Hélène,
Abravanel Florence,
BlascoBaque Vincent,
Péron Jean Marie
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/liv.13014
Subject(s) - hepatitis e , medicine , virology , hepatitis e virus , hepatitis , biology , biochemistry , gene , genotype
Hepatitis E virus ( HEV ) infection is a worldwide disease. It is the first cause of acute viral hepatitis in the world with an estimated 20 million cases every year and 56 000 deaths. In developing countries, hepatitis E is a waterborne infection. In these countries, HEV genotypes 1 and 2 cause large outbreaks and affect young subjects with a significant mortality rate in pregnant women and patients with cirrhosis. In the developed countries, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 are responsible for autochthonous, sporadic hepatitis and transmission is zoonotic. HEV can cause neurological disorders and in immunocompromised patients, chronic infections. The progression of acute hepatitis E is most often mild and resolves spontaneously. Diagnostic tools include anti‐ HEV IgM antibodies in serum and/or viral RNA in the blood or stools by PCR . Ribavirin is used to treat chronic infection. A vaccine has been developed in China.