Hepatitis E virus replication is maintained in proliferative cells within the intestinal crypt - PubMed

3 hours ago

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) primarily infects proliferative transit-amplifying cells and intestinal stem cells in the crypts of human intestinal organoids.
HEV RNA was detected in the intestinal crypts of an HEV-infected patient, supporting organoid findings.
HEV infection spreads through cell division and can persist in organoids for over 40 days, unlike acute hepatitis A virus.
Proliferative intestinal progenitor cells, due to their self-renewal and metabolic traits, may act as reservoirs for chronic HEV infection.
The intestinal crypt is identified as a key target for HEV infection in the gastrointestinal tract, highlighting its role in potential chronicity.

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