Quand rechercher une infection par le virus de l'hépatite E?

The recent epidemiological data justify searching for HEV infection when unexplained acute hepatic cytolysis occurs. In immunocompetent hosts, detection of HEV antibodies suggests the diagnosis, confirmed by molecular biology tools. In immunocompromised patients and pregnant women, diagnosis should be considered in case of any liver disease, regardless of the intensity of cytolysis. It is necessary to search for HEV in blood and / or stool because the infection can be serologically silent. Moreover, chronic forms have been described in several situations of immunosuppression (transplantation, hematologic malignancy, HIV infection), which may sometimes get complicated as cirrhosis, and it is essential in these patients to monitor specific markers HEV after the acute phase to detect a possible viral persistence.