Partial sequence analysis of indigenous hepatitis E virus isolated in the United Kingdom

The first nucleotide sequences of hepatitis E virus (HEV) acquired in the United Kingdom are described. The sequences are novel and are related most closely to HEV isolated from Greece(Greece 2 strain), consistent with their having been derived from an indigenous European virus. HEV was assumed until recently to be rare in the United Kingdom and other industrialised countries and, consequently, hepatitis E may be under-diagnosed in industrialised countries. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.