Chronic hepatitis E in an immunocompetent patient

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a Herpesvirus, with four different genotypes. Genotypes 1 and 2 often cause acute hepatitis, which presents as outbreaks in endemic regions of Asia and Africa. Genotypes 3 and 4 cause sporadic cases of acute hepatitis in Europe and North America, where it is considered a zoonosis. Symptoms usually resolve spontaneously, but in recent years cases have been detected that progress to chronic liver disease mainly in immunocompromised patients (patients with solid organ transplants, lymphoma, human immunodeficiency virus, primary immunodeficiencies, and those under treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents..). We report the case of a healthy, immunocompetent man who developed an episode of acute HEV hepatitis, which progressed to chronic liver disease with fibrosis grade III/IV in the liver biopsy within a year and half. (C) 2010 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.