Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging infectious disease. HEV-1 and HEV-2 infect humans through contaminated water and foods, mainly in developing countries. HEV-3 and HEV-4 also infect humans through contaminated food and are thought to be zoonotic infections occurring in both developing...

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Main Authors: Tatsuo Kanda, Hiroaki Okamoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/702
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author Tatsuo Kanda
Hiroaki Okamoto
author_facet Tatsuo Kanda
Hiroaki Okamoto
author_sort Tatsuo Kanda
collection DOAJ
description Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging infectious disease. HEV-1 and HEV-2 infect humans through contaminated water and foods, mainly in developing countries. HEV-3 and HEV-4 also infect humans through contaminated food and are thought to be zoonotic infections occurring in both developing and developed countries. A vaccine for hepatitis E is licensed in only limited countries. The inactivation of infectious HEV is very important to ensure the safety of drinking water and foods. HEV-3 and HEV-4 RNA have been detected in some pig liver products, and it is possible that these foods may represent an infectious source of HEV. In this article, previous publications on the heat inactivation and heat stability of HEV are collected, and we discuss the present assessment of the heat inactivation of HEV. The thermal stability of HEV infection in cell culture systems and pig bioassays has been demonstrated, while the efficacy of the method of thermal inactivation using plasma products has not yet been established. Here, we propose that the treatment of HEV-contaminated foods at 95 °C for 10 min is one of the safest options for the inactivation of HEV.
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spelling doaj-art-55f0a56e2d5b445eb77ab249905c07472025-08-20T03:47:58ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117570210.3390/v17050702Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative ReviewTatsuo Kanda0Hiroaki Okamoto1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Uonuma Institute of Community Medicine, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, Uonuma Kikan Hospital, Minami-Uonuma 949-7302, JapanDivision of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke-shi 329-0498, Tochigi, JapanHepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an emerging infectious disease. HEV-1 and HEV-2 infect humans through contaminated water and foods, mainly in developing countries. HEV-3 and HEV-4 also infect humans through contaminated food and are thought to be zoonotic infections occurring in both developing and developed countries. A vaccine for hepatitis E is licensed in only limited countries. The inactivation of infectious HEV is very important to ensure the safety of drinking water and foods. HEV-3 and HEV-4 RNA have been detected in some pig liver products, and it is possible that these foods may represent an infectious source of HEV. In this article, previous publications on the heat inactivation and heat stability of HEV are collected, and we discuss the present assessment of the heat inactivation of HEV. The thermal stability of HEV infection in cell culture systems and pig bioassays has been demonstrated, while the efficacy of the method of thermal inactivation using plasma products has not yet been established. Here, we propose that the treatment of HEV-contaminated foods at 95 °C for 10 min is one of the safest options for the inactivation of HEV.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/702blood productscell cultureheat stabilityheat inactivationhepatitis E virusinfectivity
spellingShingle Tatsuo Kanda
Hiroaki Okamoto
Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
Viruses
blood products
cell culture
heat stability
heat inactivation
hepatitis E virus
infectivity
title Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
title_full Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
title_fullStr Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
title_full_unstemmed Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
title_short Thermal Inactivation of Hepatitis E Virus: A Narrative Review
title_sort thermal inactivation of hepatitis e virus a narrative review
topic blood products
cell culture
heat stability
heat inactivation
hepatitis E virus
infectivity
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/702
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