Table 1.

Characteristics of hepatitis viruses.

	HAV	HBV	HCV	HDV	HEV
Family	Picornaviridae	Hepadnaviridae	Flaviviridae	Not applicable	Hepeviridae
Genus	Hepatovirus	Orthohepadnavirus	Hepacivirus	Deltavirus	Orthohepevirus
Genome	Positive-sense single-stranded linear RNA	Double-stranded DNA	Positive-sense single-stranded linear RNA	Negative-sense single-stranded circular RNA	Positive-sense single-stranded linear RNA
Transmission	Fecal–oral	Exposure to infected blood or body fluid/sexual/perinatal	Exposure to infected blood	Exposure to infected blood/body fluids	Fecal–oral/zoonotic/blood transfusion
Clinical outcome of infection	Self-limited	Self-limited and chronic	Self-limited and chronic	Self-limited and chronic	Self-limited