Hepatitis E blood donor screening – More than a mere drop in the ocean?

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is probably the most frequent cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide [1]. In the past HEV was considered to be an infection of the developing world, where large outbreaks have been reported. These cases are caused by ingestion of fecally contaminated water and are related to HEV genotype 1 and 2. Increasing numbers of autochthonous cases in the developing world, caused mostly by HEV genotype 3 and 4, have been described over the last decade. Although the transmission routes are not completely understood, domesticated swine, wild boar and deer have been described as reservoirs for the zoonotic HEV genotype 3 and 4 strains and are a likely source of infection through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, shellfish, vegetables and berries [2].
Source: Journal of Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Source Type: research