First human case of co-infection with two different subtypes of hepatitis E virus

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the main etiologic agent of enterically transmitted acute hepatitis in developing countries, is now recognized as an emerging agent of autochthonous disease and chronic hepatitis E in immunocompromised patients in Europe where HEV infection is probably zoonotically acquired. We describe the first human case of acute HEV infection with two genotype 3 viruses in a French kidney transplant recipient, probably acquired through consumption of uncooked pig liver sausage (figatellu). The patient presented two viral sequences nearly identical to sequences recovered from figatelli. Autochthonous co-infections with different genotype 3 HEV strains can occur in our geographical area.