Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of clinical hepatitis in regions of endemicity, affecting primarily young adults and travelers to these areas. We present 5 cases of acute HEV infection in travelers and review 143 cases of HEV infection found by a literature search that were contracted in areas of endemicity. Fulminant hepatitis occurred in 2.7% of the reported cases; 2 of these were fatal. The destination of most of the travelers with acute HEV infection was the Indian subcontinent.

more »

... overall risk of contracting HEV infection for travelers appears to be lower than the risk for hepatitis A virus infection. Pregnant women and individuals with underlying liver disease may be a risk for severe infection.