Epidemiology of Genotype 1 and 2 Hepatitis E Virus Infections

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 2 are responsible for the majority of acute viral hepatitis infections in endemic areas in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to frequent sporadic illnesses throughout the year, these viruses often cause large epidemics in association with monsoon rains in Asia or during humanitarian crises in Africa. Clinical hepatitis commonly involves adults more often than young children, with an overall mortality of ∼1%. However, the mortality among pregnant women is often 30% or higher. HEV infection in pregnant women frequently leads to infant mortality or premature delivery. Hepatitis E is an important, yet largely neglected, global public health problem.

Transmission and Epidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 and 4 Infections

“…Africa HEV gt1 and gt2 are known to be endemic in regions of sub-Saharan Africa (see Nelson et al 2018). However, there is a paucity of data regarding HEV gt3 and gt4 in Africa, although HEV gt3 has been found in pigs in various locations.…”

Innate Immunity to Enteric Hepatitis Viruses

“…Bile from infected mice contains abundant virus, indicating that fecally shed virus is produced in the liver, as in primates (Schulman et al 1976;Hirai-Yuki et al 2016b). Whereas the apparent lack of permissiveness of the gastrointestinal epithelium for HAV infection could reflect the absence of a key virus receptor, a plausible alternative hypothesis is that type III IFN responses might restrict HAV replication in the gut, as is the case for murine rotavirus and norovirus (Pott et al 2011;Nice et al 2015). It would not be surprising to find that type III IFNs restrict HAV replication in the murine gut, whereas type I IFN does so in the liver.…”

“…There are multiple HEV genotypes, at least four of which cause disease in humans. These differ in their geographic distribution, epidemiology, and pathogenesis (Emerson and Purcell 2003;Dalton and Izopet 2018;Nelson et al 2018). Genotype 1 (gt1) and gt2 HEV cause endemic and epidemic waterborne infections in developing countries, whereas gt3 and gt4 HEV are zoonotic and mostly found in developed countries.…”

Application of ELISA recomWell HEV IgG (Human) for Detection of Virus-Specific Antibodies in Sera of Slaughtered Rabbits

“…HEV infections in animals have an asymptomatic course with no significant impact on animal health. Such infections in humans and in particular in immunocompromised persons and pregnant women can cause serious health consequences (Goumba et al 2010;Nelson et al 2018). Although rabbit HEV strains belong to the rabbit HEV genotype cluster, they are genetically and antigenically closely related to pig and wild boar HEV strains which are known to infect humans (Yugo and Meng 2013;Johne et al 2014;Doceul et al 2016).…”