title: Epidemiology of hepatitis E in low- and middle-income countries of Asia and Africa.
abstract: Hepatitis E is an acute, viral hepatitis primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route. The first major epidemic of hepatitis E virus (HEV) was reported in 1955 in Delhi, India. Since that time, numerous epidemics have been reported across the low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa. Even in the absence of large-scale outbreaks, hepatitis E is an important cause of clinical hepatitis. Serologic studies across Asia and Africa show a high prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies. Interest in hepatitis E has increased over the last two decades. However, there are many unanswered questions about the epidemiology of hepatitis E, including a low clinical illness rate in children and the high case fatality rate in pregnant women. Widespread usage of a hepatitis E vaccine may serve to relieve the burden of HEV disease in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kmush
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wierzba
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krain
authors.forename: Kenrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Alain B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Labrique
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003906:Developing Countries; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies