Hepatitis E is a contagious virus that causes acute (non-chronic) hepatitis.

It is spread via the Fecal-oral route, typically by contamination of water supplies.

It consists of a single strand of non-enveloped RNA, about 33 nanometers in length. It is currently classified as a Caliciviridae. However, genomically, it more closely resembles the rubella virus and may in the future be reclassified.