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.