Hepatitis E
virus that causes acute (non-chronic) hepatitis.
It is spread via the fecal-oral route, typically by contamination of water supplies.
It consists of a single strand of non-enveloped RNA, about 33 nanometers in length. It is sometimes classified in the Caliciviridae family. However, its genome more closely resembles the rubella virus one and this virus may in the future be reclassified.
Clinically, hepatitis E is comparable to hepatitis A, but in pregnant women the course can be fulminant.
