Hepatitis E Virus (HEV): Prevalence, Transmission, and Prevention Strategies
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the leading cause of enteric viral hepatitis worldwide. Recently, autochthonous HEV infection has emerged as a significant concern in Europe, as the EFSA reported, making it a global public health issue. Despite its low prevalence overall, HEV varies significantly in different regions, with higher rates observed in developing countries. In Spain, the general population’s prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies is reported to be 1.1% (Echevarría et al., 2014). HEV is a small, spherical virus, approximately 27-34