TY - JOUR T1 - Red blood cell transfusion-transmitted acute hepatitis E in an immunocompetent subject in Europe: a case report. Y1 - 2017 A1 - Riveiro-Barciela, M A1 - Sauleda, S A1 - Quer, J A1 - Salvador, F A1 - Gregori, J A1 - Pirón, M A1 - Rodríguez-Frías, F A1 - Buti, M AB - BACKGROUND: Acute hepatitis E in industrialized countries is usually related to intake or manipulation of undercooked or raw meat. Cases of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E have rarely been documented in immunosuppressed patients, mainly after receiving frozen plasma. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A 61-year-old man was admitted to hospital for jaundice. His personal history included disseminated bacillus Calmette-Guerin infection treated with antituberculous drugs. He had received red blood cell (RBC) transfusion 2 months previously, during admission for mycotic aneurysm surgery. Since liver function tests worsened despite stopping antituberculous drugs, other causes of acute hepatitis were explored. RESULTS: Acute hepatitis E was diagnosed by the presence of both immunoglobulin M and hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA. Traceback procedure for the 8 RBC units was carried out, and one of the eight archive plasma samples tested positive for HEV RNA, with an estimated viral load of 75,000 IU/mL. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the same HEV strain Genotype 3 in one of the transfused RBC products and in the patient's serum sample. CONCLUSION: Transfusion of RBCs with detectable HEV RNA is a risk factor for acute hepatitis E in immunocompetent patients in Europe. VL - 57 CP - 2 ID - 4671 ER -