Recent advances towards the development of a potent antiviral against the hepatitis E virus

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis. It also causes acute liver failure and acute-onchronic liver failure in many patients, such as those suffering from other infections/ liver injuries or organ transplant/chemotherapy recipients. Despite widespread sporadic and epidemic incidents, there is no specific treatment against HEV, justifying an urgent need for developing a potent antiviral against it. This review summarizes the known antiviral candidates and provides an overview of the potential targets for the development of specific antivirals against HEV.