Hepatitis E virus (HEV)

2014 publication: A Japanese man underwent re-thoracotomy following coronary artery bypass surgery, followed by platelet transfusion. The blood donor became symptomatic after donation and was found to be HEV infected. The donated blood was retrospectively found to contain HEV RNA. Vireamia in the recipient was observed on day 10 post-transfusion, followed by a gradual increase in the HEV load that reached a peak after 45 days. On day 54, the patient showed an elevated serum ALT level of 109 IU/L and AST of 70 IU/L and he remained asymptomatic. The aminotransferase levels reached 704 IU/L for AST and 972 IU/L for ALT on day 65 post-transfusion and returned to normal levels by day 85. Despite positive IgG and IgM, HEV RNA was still detectable until day 85. 2009 publication: Description of a look back following illness and diagnosis of acute HEV in a platelet donor, who had consumed contaminated pork products 23 days before blood donation. The HEV strain was of genotype 4. The recipient was a stem cell transplant recipient who developed significant elevation of aminotransferases and eventually mounted serological response and controlled HEV viraemia.