Clinical characteristics of hepatitis E in a "Non-Endemic" population.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus with predominant fecal oral spread. Traditionally in Western Europe it is associated with travel to endemic countries, but an increasing number of locally acquired cases have been reported throughout England. Patients presenting with acute non-travel associated HEV infection in south Wales over a 25-month period were monitored, in an attempt to understand the clinical picture and epidemiology in our patient population.