title: Chronic hepatitis e virus infection and treatment.
abstract: It is now well accepted that hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can induce chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis in immunosuppressed patients. Chronic genotype-3 HEV infections were first reported in patients with a solid-organ transplant. Thereafter, cases of chronic HEV infection have been reported in patients with hematological disease and in those who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive. HEV-associated extra-hepatic manifestations, including neurological symptoms, kidney injuries, and hematological disorders, have been also reported. In transplant patients, reducing the dosage of immunosuppressive drugs allows the virus to be cleared in some patients. In the remaining patients, as well as hematological patients and patients who are HIV-positive, anti-viral therapies, such as pegylated interferon and ribavirin, have been found to be efficient in eradicating HEV infection. This review summarizes our current knowledge of chronic HEV infection, its treatment, and the extra-hepatic manifestations induced by HEV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Organ Transplantation, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France ; INSERM U1043, IFR-BMT, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France ; Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Nassim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamar
authors.affiliation: INSERM U1043, IFR-BMT, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France ; Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France ; Department of Virology, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izopet
authors.affiliation: Cornwall Gastrointestinal Unit, Royal Cornwall Hospital and European Centre of Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
authors.forename: Harry R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Dalton
keywords: CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; HEV, hepatitis E virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; SOT, solid-organ transplant; chronic infection; cirrhosis; extra-hepatic symptoms; hepatitis E virus; ribavirin