Introduction
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and is
particularly prevalent in young people in developing countries with poor
sanitation, where it can occur sporadically and epidemically. Symptoms
of acute HEV infection include general fatigue, slight fever, and
nausea. Most patients with HEV infection are asymptomatic and improve
naturally without any treatment. However, in immunocompromised
individuals, HEV infection can become chronic. While there are many
proven sources of infection, in some cases, the source of infection
remains unknown. Recent studies have shown that HEV is a more common
pathogen than previously thought, even in industrialized countries. In
Japan, there have been few reports of chronic HEV infection in
conventionally healthy people. We report a case of persistent HEV
infection in an otherwise healthy young adult.