Hepatitis E

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 approaches 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 Publication Number 13-11896