HEV
OTHER NAMES |
HEV (Hepatitis E Virus) |
ORGANISM |
Virus: hepatitis E |
TRANSMISSION |
Hepatitis E is transmitted through eating or drinking contaminated food or water supplies, poor personal hygiene, and person to person (uncommon). |
INCUBATION |
Fifteen to sixty days |
TYPICAL SYMPTOMS |
May have no symptoms (especially young children). Some persons have mild flu-like symptoms, dark urine, light stools, jaundice, fatigue, and fever. |
DIAGNOSIS |
Blood test. |
TREATMENT |
There is currently no treatment for hepatitis E. |
PREVENTION |
To prevent transmission of the hepatitis E virus avoid consuming potentially contaminated water or food. |
DANGER |
Mortality (death rate) of those infected with hepatitis E is 1-2% although in pregnant women it approches 20%. |
COMMENTS |
Occurrence of hepatitis E in the U.S. is very rare and is mostly associated with U.S. residents who travel to developing countries. |
DSHS Electronic Publication Number E13-11896