Acute hepatitis E

Infectious disease caused by the hepatitis E virus, which causes inflammation of the liver.

It is more common in the least developed countries, where access to drinking water is limited and hygienic conditions are poor. It usually affects young people and can be particularly severe in pregnant women.

The virus is transmitted by drinking water contaminated by the faeces of infected people or by using ice made from contaminated water. In developed countries, the most common mode of infection is usually through the consumption of undercooked pork or venison.

A high percentage of infected people are asymptomatic. If symptoms do occur, they tend to be fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, dark urine, whitish stools and yellowing of the skin and eyes.

In people with other liver-related diseases, acute hepatitis E can pose a serious threat to the body's liver function.

It is diagnosed through a clinical interview and a blood test to detect the virus in its acute phase or its antibodies if the infection has already subsided.

Treatment is symptomatic, with proper hydration and rest. There's currently no vaccine against acute hepatitis E.

In the vast majority of people, the disease goes away after a few weeks without treatment. It rarely develops into a chronic infection, which is more common in people with a permanently weakened immune system due to other treatments or infections such as HIV.