Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the causative agent of hepatitis E, is the leading cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide and has emerged as a global public health concern in recent years. The first diagnosis of chronic hepatitis E in transplant recipients in 2008 profoundly changed our understanding of this pathogen. HEV belongs to the family Hepeviridae and subfamily Orthohepevirinae, which can proliferate in an ever-increasing range of susceptible hosts, including humans, pigs, wild boars, deer, rats, bats, birds, and others. Although considerable progress has been made in our understanding of HEV, many gaps in our knowledge remain. This Special Issue Reprint provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary overview of HEV across human, animal, and experimental settings. The collected papers address the epidemiology, clinical impact, and risk factors of HEV infection in diverse populations, including people living with HIV, solid organ transplant recipients, and the general population in both endemic and non-endemic regions. In several studies, the authors highlight zoonotic reservoirs by documenting HEV circulation in wild boars, ungulates, and bats, emphasizing the ecological complexity and evolutionary diversity of the virus. Through experimental investigations, researchers explore genotype- and strain-specific viral replication in animal models, in addition to the production of virus-like particles to advance virological and immunological research. Finally, a fatal clinical case underscores the severe outcomes of HEV genotype 3 infection, reinforcing its public health relevance.