Autochthonous Hepatitis E – Pathogenesis of Infection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Autochthonous Hepatitis E – Pathogenesis of Infection
IRAS ID
157364
Contact name
Hamid Jalal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health England
Research summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis in the UK. Most cases of HEV infection are either asymptomatic or present with mild clinical features which resolve within a couple of months. Occasionally, HEV leads to acute liver failure, chronic hepatitis, or extra-hepatic symptoms. Patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease or other medical problems are at an increased risk of developing acute liver failure. Chronic hepatitis has been observed primarily among patients with compromised immune system. Most of pigs are infected with HEV. Contact with pigs and eating undercooked pork, as well as processed pork products, are identified as risk factors for acquiring autochthonous (non-travel associated) HEV infection in the UK. Studies of circulating HEV strains have identified several variants with increased or decreased virulence. This pilot project will be done on anonymised HEV positive residual serum samples destined for discarding after the completion of routine diagnostic work. HEV isolates will be studied by using a variety of techniques e.g. cell culture, whole genome sequencing, cloning and proteomics. The impact of genomic and proteomic diversity will be investigated in HEV infection-free pigs. All experimental data will be correlated with clinical data to study how virus causes disease and which viral factors are associated with the severity of disease.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
14/WS/1003
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion