Hepatitis E - Symptoms and recommendations

Original Article = Hepatitis E

What is Hepatitis E ?

Hepatitis is an infectious disease due to a virus (Hepatitis E Virus or HEV) shared by human and some animal species.

In France, Hepatitis E Virus sporadically circulates. In 2009, more than 250 cases were recorded.

What are the symptoms ?

This disease is often silent. When signs occur, acute symptoms appear (similar to Hepatitis A):
- fatigue,
- fever,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain,
- often jaundice.

In most cases the evolution is favorable. However, severe cases may occur in pregnant women, immunodepressed or having lever injuries.

How does the disease spread out ?

Hepatitis E Virus spreads through contaminated food.

By the consumption of food from animals with virus :

- meat, offals, from wild boar and deers, especially heart, spleen, lever, lungs, most of the time slightly cooked.

- Products from raw lever or slightly cooked, from pig, aimed to be eaten cooked, but sometimes raw or insufficiently cooked : lever sausages, raw sausages, lever quenelle, ...

- Products from raw porc lever, meant to be eaten raw : dried lever sausages, smoked.

By the consumtion of non potable water.

By the consumption of contaminated products :
- shellfish,
- vegetable,
- fruits,
contaminated by tainted water (irrigation, cleaning).

Prevention

No vaccine is available. It is recommended to thoroughly cook :
- Products made of raw porc lever (fresh or dried lever sausages, dry lever),
- Products made of wild boar and deer (specifically heart, spleen, lever, lung),
- Shellfish.

It is recommended for pregnant women, immunodepressed persons, or person already having lever problems not to eat those products.