title: Molecular biology and pathogenesis of hepatitis E virus.
abstract: The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a small RNA virus and the etiological agent for hepatitis E, a form of acute viral hepatitis. The virus has a feco-oral transmission cycle and is transmitted through environmental contamination, mainly through drinking water. Recent studies on the isolation of HEV-like viruses from animal species also suggest zoonotic transfer of the virus. The absence of small animal models of infection and efficient cell culture systems has precluded virological studies on the replication cycle and pathogenesis of HEV. A vaccine against HEV has undergone successful clinical testing and diagnostic tests are available. This review describes HEV epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, molecular virology and the host response to HEV infection. The focus is on published literature in the past decade.
authors.affiliation: Virology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110 067, India.
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: Shikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taneja
authors.forename: Manjula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalia
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jameel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D014776:Virus Cultivation; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D014765:Viral Vaccines