Hepatitis E is a viral infection impacting primarily the liver. It can be milder or acute. Hepatitis E virus is the one responsible for this type of infection, which is mainly spread through consumption of polluted water or food. Although Hepatitis E is often self-limiting, in special populations, such as pregnant women, complications from this disease can be severe. We are going to consider the causes, symptoms, methods of prevention, and plans of treatment for Hepatitis E in this article.
What is Hepatitis E?
Hepatitis E is a viral disease affecting the liver caused by the Hepatitis E virus (HEV). It is one of the most common causes of viral hepatitis worldwide, especially in areas with poor sanitation and limited access to clean drinking water. The infection can cause liver inflammation, leading to jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.
HEV is mainly transmitted through the oral route of the infection either contaminated water or food. The virus can also be transferred by direct contact of infected individuals or animals, but the virus mainly spreads through water.
Causes and Spread of Hepatitis E
- Modes of Transmission Waterborne: Hepatitis E virus is transmitted primarily through polluted water. It is very common in areas where there is no proper facility for waste removal.
- Foodborne: Unintentional infection may also result from the food habits if one consumes raw, unwell-cooked or infected meat, such as pork, wild boar or deer meat.
- Contact: Though the virus is rarely transmitted from one individual to another, yet it can be so, directly coming into contact with an infected individual who has not maintained personal hygiene.
- Animal Contact: Certain animals, especially pigs, are identified as the carrier and the virus is passed on to man through undercooked meat or even directly from coming into contact with animal excreta.
Symptoms of Hepatitis E
The symptoms of Hepatitis E begin between 2 and 9 weeks of contact with the virus. Hepatitis E is an acute condition for most individuals, but sometimes it is severe with symptoms, especially those who have other conditions in the liver or have conditions that weaken the immune system.
Common symptoms associated with Hepatitis E include:
- Fatigue
- Jaundice or yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes
- Dark-colored urine
- Abdominal pain, mainly on the right upper quadrant abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Low-grade fever
- General malaise
Many patients with Hepatitis E recover in a few weeks to months. However, the infection can be fatal in certain populations. Pregnant women, especially women at term, are much more likely to have poor outcomes, including acute liver failure. In some individuals, Hepatitis E causes acute liver failure that requires a transplant of the liver.
Prevention of Hepatitis E
Preventing Hepatitis E would primarily be through hygiene conditions. The following strategies in reducing the risk of contracting the infection are mainly done:
- Access to Clean Water : Communities should have easy and safe access to clean water while drinking.
- Proper Hygiene : Washing your hands with soap and clean, running water before taking something to eat or preparing food drastically reduces the risk of becoming infected.
- Avoid Raw or Undercooked Meat : Ensuring that meat, particularly pork and wild boar, is properly cooked will go a long way in eliminating the risk of Hepatitis E through food.
- Vaccine : There is no vaccine for most countries. However, a Chinese vaccine has been licensed for use in China. Further research is underway, which will eventually come up with an effective vaccine for global use.
Hepatitis E treatment
Till now, no specific antiviral drugs have been approved for Hepatitis E. Nearly all infected patients improve spontaneously with supportive measures and rest, kept hydrated with appropriate fluid intake and aided with medication to help control symptoms such as pain and nausea. Besides this, more serious forms like those among pregnant women and those with pre-existent diseases of the liver, are managed as inpatient care, followed closely with supportive therapy.
Alternatively, patients with chronic or severe cases of Hepatitis E, including pregnant women, can be treated with antiviral therapy. In reality, however, most cases of Hepatitis E are self-limiting and do not necessitate medical attention.
Hepatitis E and Pregnancy
The risk of infection from Hepatitis E is particularly pronounced during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester. Studies on this topic have been able to indicate that pregnant women suffering from infection from Hepatitis E are a much more increased risk for liver failure, the loss of the fetus, and maternal mortality. These reasons for the increase in risk are still under study; it is such that changes within the immune system, as observed during pregnancy, may make the liver more responsive to the virus.
Any woman who suspects she may have Hepatitis E should immediately report to the clinics for medical attention. In some cases, supportive care and early diagnosis may reduce infections, therefore preventing or reducing the risk of severe complications.
Hepatitis E in Global Health
Hepatitis E is an important public health problem worldwide, more so in developing countries where hygiene and sanitation facilities are inadequate. The world health organization reports that approximately 20 million cases of Hepatitis E occur annually, with many of those already occurring in the Asian regions, Africa, and Middle East.
Improvement of sanitation, provision of clean water supply, and hygiene awareness are also of paramount importance and can curb the burden of the virus. Vaccination programs and enhanced surveillance systems would help control the outbreaks of Hepatitis E and reduce its overall prevalence.
Conclusion
Hepatitis E is a serious viral disease that leads to severe complications, including in pregnant women and immunocompromised persons. There is no specific antiviral treatment available for Hepatitis E. Most patients recover with supportive care. Preventive measures are generally symptomatic of improved sanitation, hygiene, and ensuring that food and water are safe to be consumed. Hopefully, as time progresses, so will science arrive at a potential global vaccine that would make the burden easier to bear as well as protect these at-risk groups of individuals from Hepatitis E.
