Hepatitis E

A tiny germ can make your liver sick.

This germ can get into your body from bad water. It can also come from meat. Some meat, like pork, can carry it.

Most people feel better soon. But some people get very sick. It can be hard on moms with babies. It can also be hard on people who are already weak.

One way to stay safe is to cook meat well. Cooking it for a long time helps. This kills the germ so it cannot hurt you.

In some places, heavy rain can make water dirty. This can spread the germ to many people. Clean water is very important.

Doctors use blood tests to find the germ. This helps them know if you are sick. Stay healthy and wash your hands!

Hepatitis E is a sickness that affects the liver. It is caused by a tiny germ called the hepatitis E virus, or HEV.

Most people get better on their own. They might feel tired or feel sick to their stomach. Some people might even turn yellow. This is called jaundice.

But the virus can be very dangerous for some. It is very hard on pregnant women. It can cause the liver to stop working. It can also cause problems for the baby. For people with weak immune systems, the sickness can last a long time. This is called a chronic infection. This happens when the virus stays in the body for months.

How do people get it? Many people get HEV from dirty water. This often happens after heavy rain or floods. It can also come from eating meat that is not cooked well. Some types of the virus live in animals like pigs and deer.

Doctors can find the virus using blood tests. They look for special markers called antibodies. In China, there is even a vaccine to help prevent the sickness.

Hepatitis E is a sickness that causes inflammation in the liver. This happens when a person catches the hepatitis E virus, or HEV.

Most people recover from this illness on their own after a short time. However, the virus can be very serious for certain groups. It can be quite dangerous for pregnant women or people with weak immune systems. In some cases, the liver may stop working correctly. This is a very serious condition called fulminant liver failure.

The virus moves from person to person in a specific way. It often travels through the fecal-oral route. This means the virus can get into the body through contaminated food or water. Heavy rain or big floods can make this happen more often. Floods can wash waste into the water supplies that people use. Other types of the virus live in animals like pigs and deer. People can catch these types by eating meat that is not cooked enough.

Scientists first discovered this virus in 1983. They were looking into a sickness among Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan. A Russian scientist named Mikhail S. Balayan found it. He did this by testing samples mixed with kefir. We also know about a very large outbreak from a long time ago. In 1955, tens of thousands of people got sick in New Delhi. Researchers later found the virus in old samples from that time.

There are different types of the virus called genotypes. Genotype 1 and 2 are mostly found in humans. These types often cause large outbreaks in places like Asia and Africa. Genotype 3 and 4 can live in both humans and animals. In 2017, it was estimated that over 19 million people had the virus. In the United Kingdom, studies found the virus in 10% of pork sausages.

Doctors use blood tests to see if someone has the virus. They look for things called antibodies to help them. Most people feel tired or sick to their stomach when they are ill. Some people might also see their skin turn yellow, which is called jaundice. If the virus stays in the body for three months, it is called a chronic infection. This is more common in people who have had organ transplants. A vaccine called HEV 239 is already used in China to help prevent it.

Hepatitis E is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. It is caused by the hepatitis E virus, or HEV. This virus is one of five known human hepatitis viruses. The others are types A, B, C, and D. HEV is a positive-sense, single-stranded, nonenveloped, RNA icosahedral virus. This means it has a specific geometric shape and a type of genetic material called RNA. While many people recover from this illness, it can be very dangerous for specific groups of people.

Transmission of the virus happens through different routes depending on the genotype. Genotypes 1 and 2 mostly use a fecal-oral route. This means the virus spreads when contaminated food or water enters a person's mouth. This often happens after heavy rainfall or monsoons. Flooding can wash sewage into the water supplies used by communities. In contrast, genotypes 3 and 4 are zoonotic. This means they spread from animals to humans. People can catch these types by eating undercooked meat or having direct contact with animals like pigs or deer.

The virus goes through several stages during an infection. The incubation period, or the time between catching the virus and feeling sick, averages 40 days. This period can range from 2 to 8 weeks. During this time, viral RNA can be detected in a person's stool and blood serum. As the illness begins, a person might experience a prodromal phase. Symptoms during the symptomatic phase include fatigue, nausea, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin. Doctors can see elevated hepatic aminotransferase levels in the blood during this time. As the body recovers, IgM antibodies disappear and IgG antibodies increase.

HEV can present in different clinical forms. Most cases are acute, meaning the illness is temporary and the person recovers. However, some people develop chronic hepatitis E. This is a persistent infection that lasts for at least three months of continuous viremia. This is most common in people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients. Another severe form is fulminant liver failure. This is a rapid and life-threatening condition where the liver stops working. This is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, especially during their third trimester. In these cases, death rates can reach 20% to 25%.

Scientists have a long history of studying this virus. The virus was discovered in 1983 by researchers studying Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan. A Russian virologist named Mikhail S. Balayan identified the virus. He did this after ingesting fecal samples from nine soldiers that were mixed with kefir. Even before the virus was identified, large outbreaks were recorded. In 1955, an epidemic in New Delhi affected tens of thousands of people. Scientists later identified the virus as the cause by testing stored samples from that time.

The virus is classified into different groups based on its genetics. It belongs to the family Hepeviridae. This family includes two genera: Orthohepevirus, which affects mammals and birds, and Piscihepevirus, which affects cutthroat trout. There are eight known genotypes of the human virus. Genotype 1 has five subtypes, and genotype 2 has two subtypes. Genotypes 3 and 4 are more complex, with 10 and seven subtypes respectively. In 2017, it was estimated that more than 19 million people were affected by hepatitis E.

HEV is a significant global health concern with many connections to animal health and sanitation. In the United Kingdom, studies showed that 10% of pork sausages contained the virus. This highlights the importance of cooking meat to the correct temperature. Some research suggests food must reach a specific temperature for 20 minutes to kill the virus. Beyond the liver, the virus can affect other systems. It has been linked to neurological complications like Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute pancreatitis. Understanding these connections helps doctors manage the complex ways the virus affects the human body.