title: Hepatitis E: an overview.
abstract: Hepatitis E has a worldwide distribution and causes substantial morbidity and mortality in some developing countries, particularly among pregnant women. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has recently been cloned and sequenced and new diagnostic tests have been developed; these tests have been used to begin to characterize the natural history and epidemiologic features of HEV infection. Experimental vaccines have also been developed that offer the potential to prevent hepatitis E. However, to develop effective strategies to prevent this disease, much remains to be learned about HEV, including the vehicles of transmission, the reservoir(s) of the virus, and the natural history of protective immunity.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Mast
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krawczynski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014765:Viral Vaccines