Current Treatment of Acute and Chronic Hepatitis E Virus Infection: Role of Antivirals.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection results in nearly 20 million new infections, resulting in 70,000 deaths globally each year. Previously thought as a disease limited to developing nations with poor sanitation and hygiene, it is increasingly recognized that even the most developed nations are not spared. A clear dichotomy in epidemiology of HEV is noted between developing and industrialized nations. The HEV genotypes 1 and 2 are common in Asia and Africa and are transmitted mainly by contaminated drinking water. Sporadic as well as large-scale epidemics of acute hepatitis have been noted with HEV genotype 1 infection in developing countries of Asia and Africa. On the contrary, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 are common in industrialized nations and unlike genotypes 1 and 2, they are transmitted by consumption of raw meat products, fruits, and blood transfusion. Large epidemics have not been reported with HEV genotypes 3 and 4 and manifestation is usually indolent, though severe acute hepatitis has been reported. Shrestha A, Gupta BP, Lama TK. Current Treatment of Acute and Chronic Hepatitis E Virus Infection: Role of Antivirals. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(1):73-77.