Variability of hepatitis E serologic assays in a pediatric liver transplant recipient: challenges to diagnosing hepatitis E virus infection in the United States

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging cause of viral hepatitis among immunocompromised individuals in developed countries. Yet the diagnosis of HEV infection in the United States remains challenging, because of the variable sensitivity and specificity of currently available tests, and the lack of a US Food and Drug Administration-approved test. We report a case of multiple discordant HEV serology results in a pediatric liver transplant recipient with idiopathic hepatitis, and review the challenges to diagnosis of HEV infection in the United States.

Keywords: hepatitis E virus; liver transplantation; viral diagnostics.