Hepatitis E infection in stem cell and solid organ transplant patients: a cross-sectional study

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is a common cause of infectious hepatitis [1]. Of the four major genotypes infecting humans, genotype 3 (G3) has been solely implicated in HEV cases in England. HEV infection can persist in immunosuppressed patients, leading to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis [2,3] or development of other syndromes, including neurological disorders [4,5]. Epidemiologic data demonstrate a recent increased incidence in the U.K. [2] and variable prevalence across Europe [6]. HEV prevalence of 0.04% in blood donors from England [7] led to introduction of universal screening for HEV RNA in donors of blood, tissue, stem-cells and organs [8].
Source: Journal of Clinical Virology - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Short communication Source Type: research