[Forgotten hepatitis: the hepatitis E].
Hepatitis E is caused by the Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), entericaly transmitted. In areas with poor sanitation, HEV is responsible for high endemicity and major outbreaks. In countries with high sanitary conditions, HEV is a zoonosis responsible for sporadic cases, and is encountered in travellers returning from endemic areas. The clinical manifestations are not distinguishable from that caused by other causes of acute viral hepatitis. Fulminant hepatitis are encountered in 1 to 4% of acute hepatitis E. Remarquably, mortality among pregnant women is very high. Diagnosis can be made by serological testing and eventually viral detection by PCR. HEV can cause chronic infection in immunocompromised patients. There is no specific therapy. There is no vaccine currently available.
Centre hospitalier de la région d'Annecy, Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, Av. de l'Hôpital I, Metz-Tessy, 74374 Pringy, France. jpbru@ch-annecy.fr
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D000818:Animals; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D012499:Sanitation; D014195:Travel; D015047:Zoonoses