Hepatitis E - epidemiology and clinical course in the largest cohort in the Czech Republic

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. Material and methods The 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.