Hepatitis E Virus, Pathogenesis and Management

Ibrahim Ali, A.^1*, Mazin Abdalla, S.² & Wala Elfatih Mahgoub, M.³

¹Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan
²Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Napata College, Khartoum, Sudan
³Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Sudan

Dr. Ibrahim Ali, A., Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan.

Keywords: Hepatitis E; Pathogenesis; Blood Transfusion; Serological Screening

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) was discovered in 1983 and cloned in 1991. The mode of the transmission is mainly by enteral routes and it is the cause water-borne epidemics in South-East Asia and the India [1-3]. Human to human transmission is the exception. It is worth noting that cases of mother-to-child and blood transfusion transmission have been reported [4,5]. HEV, gnomically, is an RNA virus, which has five major genotypes, all belong to the same serotype. All of five genotypes are different in regards to host species as well as the epidemiology. Genotypes 1 and 2 infect only humans and are endemic in many parts of Asia, Africa and South America. However, genotypes 3 and 4 infect humans, among other animals. Sporadic cases are caused by genotype 3 especially in North and South America. Genotype 4 appears to be restricted to Asia. Genotype 5 infects avian species [5,6]. HEV is considered a safety threat to procedures involving blood after several cases of transmission by transfusion or transplantation have been described [7-9].

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