How should hepatitis E virus infection be defined in organ-transplant recipients?

摘要

Within the last few years, it has been shown that hepatitis-E virus (HEV)-infection can induce chronic hepatitis and rapid progression of liver fibrosis in solid-organ-transplant (SOT) patients (1,2). However, if immunosuppressive-drug doses are decreased or a short course of ribavirin therapy is given,then sustained HEV clearance can be achieved (3,4). Hence, these therapeutic strategies are recommended for patients who develop chronic HEV infection (5). However, there is no established definition for chronic HEV infection, although carrying HEV for more than 6 months has been suggested as a definition for chronic hepatitis E, by some authors (1).