LIZ LAVERICK investigates a pathogen that has global impact, yet one that has been the subject of little research despite its impact in areas of the developing world where the virus is endemic.
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E and is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis.1 The global infection rate of HEV is estimated at 2.3 billion,2 and there are some 20 million hepatitis E infections every year; these include over three million acute cases of hepatitis E and 70,000 hepatitis E-related deaths.3 The mortality rate in the general population is 0.5-4.0%,3 but in pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, the rate can be as high as 20–30%.4
Hepatitis E is found worldwide, with the highest prevalence in East and South Asia. Despite this high prevalence, HEV is an under-studied pathogen, compared to the other causes of acute hepatitis. It is now causing public health concerns in many developing areas of the world, and an increasing number of sporadic cases of acute hepatitis E infection are seen in individuals living in industrialised countries.5
Discovery
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