الفهرس 
AcknowledgmentOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Acute viral hepatitis is endemic in Egypt. It represents an important problem in our community because of their high incidence and high fatality rate. There are five well characterized hepatotrophic viruses A, B, C, D and E. Also, there are a large number of viruses that may cause inflammatory disease of the liver such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Herpes simplex virus, mumps virus, yellow fever virus, but the term viral hepatitis generally refers to the five well described hepatotrophic viruses which are divided into enteral and parenteral groups based on their mode of transmission. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a non-enveloped RNA virus, a member of calicivirdate and is an important cause of acute hepatitis. Hepatitis E is a feco-oral disease, similar to hepatitis A. The incubation period of hepatitis E is 8-10 weeks. It has been implicated as a cause of large outbreaks of hepatitis in many tropical and developing countries. First outbreak occurred in New Delhi 1956, however it was diagnosed serologically several years later. HEV infection may be present in developed countries. Epidemics frequently develop after rainy seasons when water supplies are grossly contaminated suggesting that large doses of HEV are needed to induce the disease. So contaminated water supplies is the common source of infection. Their spread is favored by poor personal hygiene and inappropriate sanitary conditions. Hepatitis E may also be transmitted through parentral route. Vertical transmission and the possibility of transfusion-related HEV infection has been also considered. HEV antibodies have been detected in natural hosts other than man, as in swines, nonhuman primates, rats and cows suggesting that these animals have been infected by HEV or a related agent, thus indicating that hepatitis E may be a zoonotic illness. Recent evidence points to domestic livestock, (particularly swine) as an important reservoirs of hepatitis E virus. Hepatitis E virus infection causes a self-limited disease which may be symptomatic or anicteric infections. No chronic carrier state had been reported with HEV infection as in hepatitis B, C and D infections. High mortality rate occurs among infected pregnant women in their third trimester (approximately 20-32