The hepatitis E virus is present throughout the world, although it is real health. It is also found in higher-income countries. Hepatitis E is currently the second leading cause of acute hepatitis.
Clinical Head of the Hepatology Unit at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, about the characteristics of this disease and what we can do to prevent contagion.
HOW IS HEPATITIS E TRANSMITTED?
There are four different genotypes of the hepatitis E virus that infect humans. In developing countries, the most common are genotypes 1 and 2, which only occur in humans through contaminated water.
- Transmission in these areas is usually associated with epidemics due to poor sanitation conditions (for example, after natural disasters: earthquakes, floods).
- Hepatitis E virus causes epidemics in some areas or regions of Asia, Africa, and Central America.
The most frequent genotype is three, and hepatitis E is fundamentally a zoonosis. That is, it is transmitted from animals to people.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS E?
As in other hepatitis viruses, “the majority of cases have no symptoms,” explains the hepatologist.
- hepatitis E virus infection each year in the world, of which 3.3 million have symptoms.
When there are symptoms, they are usually very nonspecific. “Tiredness, lack of appetite, weakness, “explains the doctor.
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The patient may also have a yellowish coloration of the skin, mucous membranes or eyes (jaundice), very dark urine (polyuria), or white stools.
Sometimes hepatitis E can present with extrahepatic manifestations (that is, manifestations that occur outside the liver), especially neurological ones,” he indicates. For example, a blood test diagnosis hepatitis E.
HOW IS HEPATITIS E TREATED?
Hepatitis E virus normally heals spontaneously“, explains the specialist.
- It usually disappears in a period of between 2 and 6 weeks.
Hepatitis E, however, can also become chronic and lead to other diseases such as cirrhosis or liver failure. This is rare but can occur in immunosuppressed people, such as those with a kidney or liver transplant.
In some cases, in epidemic outbreaks with fecal-oral transmission, pregnant women can have complications such as fulminant hepatitis, which can cause the death of the woman and the fetus.
HEPATITIS E PREVENTION
In our environment, the main preventive measure is to cook meat well. This is especially relevant for immunosuppressed people at higher risk of developing chronic hepatitis if they contract the virus.
In case of traveling to areas where there is a high presence of the virus, it is important to follow hygienic measures such as regular hand washing and not to consume ice or water that is not bottled.
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