WELCOME

HepE Hub Bochum

Welcome to the website of the HepE Hub Bochum, a collaboration of the virology and infection research on the campus, as well as the five university hospitals of the Ruhr University Bochum. We aim to systematically analyze the virological and immunological mechanisms of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infections and deepen the understanding of this disease.

Hepatitis E is a globally widespread infectious disease with an estimated 20 million infections, 3.3 to 19 million acute cases, and 3,500 to 70,000 deaths each year. In the German population, the seroprevalence, the frequency of anti-HEV antibodies in the blood serum, is 16.8%. Although many infections are asymptomatic and self-limiting, they can lead to severe courses in certain patient groups, such as pregnant women or people with pre-existing hepatic conditions. In immunocompromised patients, there is also a risk of chronic manifestation of the infection.

Currently, there is no specific therapy for the treatment of HEV infections, only symptomatic treatments are possible. Additionally, there is no preventive vaccine with European approval. These knowledge gaps in the areas of prevention and treatment make the research on HEV an urgent task.

The HepE Hub focusses on recording immunological and virological parameters of HEV patients from the university hospitals in Bochum and correlates them with clinical courses. We analyze the HEV genotype distribution, clinical and laboratory parameters outcome parameters, and the virus-host interaction. Through comprehensive genetic analysis of the HEV genome from clinical sample material, we identify virus variants associated with severe disease courses and treatment failure, particularly during treatment with ribavirin.

Our goals are:

• Creation of foundations for personalized infection medicine
• Improvement of diagnostic test procedures, assessment of the disease course, and therapeutic decision-making
• Contribution to monitoring and gaining insights into local epidemiology

Through our research, we aim to improve the understanding of HEV infection. We hope that our work contributes to improving the diagnosis and treatment of Hepatitis E and ultimately promotes the health of our patients.

Thank you for your interest in our project. We look forward to your support and the exchange with you.

Kind regards,

The Team of the HepE Hub Bochum