A Case of Coinfection of Hepatitis A and E Virus with Hepatic Encephalopathy / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

With recent hygienic improvements in Korea, the occurrence of overt acute viral hepatitis A in adults is increasing. Acute viral hepatitis E, which has seldom been reported, has also been increasing in Korea over the past few years. Reports regarding coinfection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) and their clinical courses are very rare. Acute hepatitis A is usually improved by conservative management, but coinfection of HAV and HEV may lead to severe forms of disease. When a patient with acute hepatitis A presents with an atypical clinical course such as hepatic encephalopathy, HEV infection, which has identical transmission routes to HAV, must be considered. We report a case of coinfection of HAV and HEV with hepatic encephalopathy.