Autochthonous Hepatitis E-Virus Infection in an Immunocompromised Patient: First Report of a Chronic Course and Molecular Characterization of the Virus

Introduction Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the etiological agent of hepatitis E, the previously called enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis. Infection with HEV is endemic in countries with (sub-)tropical climate and poor sanitary conditions, but recently acute infections of unknown origin and with novel HEV strains have been described in the USA, Japan and Europe. So far it is generally accepted that hepatitis E is a self-limited disease and never progresses to chronicity. We here describe for the first time the case of a patient with the course of a chronic active HEV infection. Methods Stored and fresh…