INTRODUCTION: The majority of hepatitis E (HE) reports come from Western Europe. The aim of the study was to describe the typical epidemiological and clinical characteristics of HE in the Czech Republic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 173 patients with HE. RESULTS: At least 90% of cases were autochthonous (HEV-3 genotype). Seventeen patients were treated with ribavirin. Five underwent liver transplants because of fulminant HE. We noted neurological symptomatology in 9 cases. Six patients developed chronic HE. CONCLUSIONS: There is a possibility of severe health complications caused by the hepatitis E virus in the Czech Republic.

Centre of Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery Brno Brno Czech Republic

Department of Infectious Diseases Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Department of Infectious Diseases University Hospital Brno Brno Czech Republic

Veterinary Research Institute Brno Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

European Association for the Study of the Liver . EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on hepatitis E virus infection. J Hepatol 2018; 68: 1256-71. PubMed

Parfieniuk-Kowerda A, Jaroszewicz J, Łapiński TW, et al. . High prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies among patients with immunosuppression and hepatic disorders in eastern Poland. Arch Med Sci 2018; 17: 675-81. PubMed PMC

Ricci A, Allende A, Bolton D, et al. . Public health risks associated with hepatitis E virus (HEV) as a food-borne pathogen. EFSA J 2017; 15: e04886. PubMed PMC

Goel A, Vijay HJ, Katiyar H, Aggarwal R. Prevalence of hepatitis E viraemia among blood donors: a systematic review. Vox Sang 2020; 115: 120-32. PubMed

Vasickova P, Slany M, Chalupa P, Holub M, Svoboda R, Pavlik I. Detection and phylogenetic characterization of human hepatitis e virus strains, Czech Republic. Emerg Infect Dis 2011; 17: 917-9. PubMed PMC

Smith DB, Izopet J, Nicot F, et al. . Update: proposed reference sequences for subtypes of hepatitis E virus (species Orthohepevirus A). J Gen Virol 2020; 101: 692-8. PubMed PMC

Mihalcin M, Tvrda M, Vasickova P, Husa P. Aseptic meningitis during acute hepatitis E – a single center experience. Čes Slov Neurol Neurochir 2021; 2021: 572-3.

Němeček V, Butovičová P, Malý M, et al. . The prevalence of antibodies against Hepatitis E Virus in the Czech Republic: serological survey. Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol Cas Spolecnosti Epidemiol Mikrobiol Ceske Lek Spolecnosti JE Purkyne 2017; 66: 3-7. PubMed

Kamar N, Abravanel F, Behrendt P, et al. . Ribavirin for hepatitis E virus infection after organ transplantation: a large european retrospective multicenter study. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 71: 1204-11. PubMed

Fousekis FS, Mitselos IV, Christodoulou DK. Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis E virus: an overview. Clin Mol Hepatol 2020; 26: 16-23. PubMed PMC

Ripellino P, Pasi E, Melli G, et al. . Neurologic complications of acute hepatitis E virus infection. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2020; 7: e643. PubMed PMC

Jha AK, Kumar G, Dayal VM, Ranjan A, Suchismita A. Neurological manifestations of hepatitis E virus infection: an overview. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27: 2090-104. PubMed PMC