Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2025
10:28
A Cell Culture Model for Producing High Titer Hepatitis E Virus Stocks
Published on: June 26, 2020
9.9K
Hepatitis E Virus: An emerging enigmatic and underestimated pathogen
Yakubu Egigogo Raji1,2, Ooi Peck Toung3, Niazlin Mohd Taib1
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia 1, Malaysia.
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
|January 10, 2022
Summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a global health concern, infecting 2 billion people. This review covers HEV
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes hepatitis E, with one serotype but diverse genotypes infecting humans and animals.
- Globally, an estimated 2 billion people have been infected with HEV, posing significant public health and economic challenges.
- Initially thought to be enteric and endemic in developing nations, HEV is now recognized as globally distributed with autochthonous cases in industrialized countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a concise overview of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and prevention of Hepatitis E virus.
- To highlight the re-emerging nature of HEV, particularly in developed nations.
- To underscore the underestimation of HEV's burden due to poor awareness and diagnostic challenges.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes evidence from seroprevalence studies and recent research findings.
- It examines epidemiological data, transmission modes, and risk factors associated with HEV.
- The review also considers clinical observations regarding disease severity and chronic infections.
Main Results:
- HEV infection has a global distribution, affecting both developing and industrialized nations.
- Recent findings indicate HEV can cause severe disease in pregnant women and chronic infections in immunocompromised individuals.
- The burden of HEV is underestimated due to low clinical awareness and underdiagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis E is a re-emerging infectious disease with a broader distribution and more severe outcomes than previously understood.
- Effective prevention strategies and improved diagnostic practices are crucial to address the global HEV burden.
- Increased clinician awareness and routine HEV screening are necessary to combat misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Viruses with RNA Genomes
193
RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
193
02:33Retroviruses
12.8K
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
12.8K
00:57Viral Recombination
23.9K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
23.9K
01:29Subviral Agents
171
Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
171
00:36Viral Mutations
34.4K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
34.4K
01:26Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
1.1K
Liver and gallbladder diseases are a significant health concern, with prominent conditions including cirrhosis, hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and gallstones. Jaundice is a common manifestation of liver and biliary disease.
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not...
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not...
1.1K