Hepatitis E : Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

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In this blog I will give you information about HEPATITIS E. It is causes by Hepatitis E virus (HEV).

Hepat = Liver
Itis     = Inflammation

hepatitis E virus
Hepatitis E virus

It means that hepatitis is the inflammation of liver caused by virus. I will give you information in such a way that you can understand easily.

There are 5 viruses that causes hepatitis named as Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E. 

Hepatis A & Hepatitis E both are different disease but have common features as below.

  • Both are RNA viruses
  • It spread by faecal oral route
  • Mostly acute and self-limiting hepatitis with no progression to chronic liver disease. It means it remains temporary and mostly patient recovers.

We learn this topic in below format.

  • causes
  • symptoms
  • diagnosis
  • treatment and management
  • prophylaxis 

CAUSES

Hepatitis E disease is caused by hepatitis E virus.

The main route of transmission is faecal oral route, occasionally HEV is transmitted by blood products or through illicit use of injectable drugs.

Faecal oral route means if anyone have hepatitis E disease and after going toilet he does not clean his hand properly and touch some food or water than that material is infected by this virus.

If somebody drink that water or eat that infected food than he/she will also suffer from hepatitis E disease within 2 to 8 weeks.

HEV is zoonotic means it may spread between animal to human. This virus was found in Pig stool. So,difference between hepatitis A & hepatitis E is that hepatitis A virus only spread human to human while hepatitis E can spread from human to human as well animal to human.

This type of problem occurs mostly in areas of overcrowding and poor sanitation.

SYMPTOMS 

Hepatitis is that kind of disease in which some have symptoms & some may not have any symptoms in initial stage. When symptoms starts, that are like as below.

  1. Loss of appetite
  2. Nausea, vomiting
  3. Abdominal pain 
  4. Fever
  5. Headache,bodyache
  6. Jaundice
  7. Dark coloured urine and pale stool
  8. Paleness of skin

Whenever this viral infection occurs in pregnancy and person having low immunity, it may be fatal. In pregnancy, especially in third trimester, the disease often more severe and associated with clinical syndrome called fulminant hepatic failure, with death rates approx 20%.

DIAGNOSIS

It is simply based on below reports.

  • Urine report 
  • Serum bilirubin level increase
  • SGPT & SGOT level increase
  • Specific diagnosis of acute hepatitis is based on detection of IgM antibody To HEV

TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT

There is no medicine proved safety and effectiveness against Hepatitis E disease. We have only few data on effect of antiviral medicine on this disease. Some study suggest that ribavarin is useful in immunocompromised patient who have develop chronic infection. In liver problem, we should follow below points, for fast recovery.

  1. Completely bed rest
  2. Avoid physical activity
  3. Diet – light diet.Avoid fried and spicy
  4. Should take more fluid
  5. Drink boiled water 
  6. Avoid alcohol 
  7. Avoid medicines which harm liver 

PROPHYLAXIS

Prevention is better than cure.

  • China claimed for hepatitis vaccine named HEV 239 in 2012. Due to lack of evidence, the W.H.O. has not made recommendation regarding routine use of the HEV 239 vaccine as of 2015. So, vaccine is not available in market till date. We can not protect ourself from hepatits E disease by vaccination.
  • It spread by faecal oral route so hygiene must be maintain to avoid this kind of disease. Must clean hand after toilet and must hand wash before eating. Sanitasition is most important measure in prevention of disease; it contain proper disposal of human waste, best water supply, improve personal hygiene and sanitory food preparation.

Hope this article is helpful to you. If you have any kind of query kindly message or mail me.