Hepatitis e: causes, symptoms, and how to treat it

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Definition

What is hepatitis E?

Hepatitis E is a liver disease caused by infection with the HEV virus. The HEV virus attacks the liver and causes inflammation and liver damage which also has the potential to damage other organs.

This virus attacks healthy cells in the body and consists of various different types according to the mode of transmission. For example, transmission of hepatitis can occur through consumption of water that is contaminated with the virus.

Meanwhile, several cases have also been reported due to eating undercooked meat or wild animals, such as deer.

This type of hepatitis usually causes acute or short-term infection. However, it is possible that the virus will develop into chronic hepatitis which has the potential to cause complications.

How common is this condition?

Hepatitis E is a rare disease, especially in developed countries such as the United States. Even so, this hepatitis disease is more often found in developing countries which have poor hygiene and sanitation levels.

People who live in overcrowded or displaced settlements are also more at risk of developing this disease.

Reporting from the World Health Organization WHO, at least every year there are around 20 million HEV virus infections. Nearly more than 56 thousand cases of them ended in death.

Type

Hepatitis E is divided into two parts based on the duration of infection, namely as follows.

Acute HEV

Acute hepatitis E is a short-term viral infection. These infections usually go away on their own because the body can fight off the virus with the immune system.

That's why people with acute HEV can get better without treatment after a few weeks.

Chronic HEV

If the HEV infection lasts for a long time and doesn't get better, it means you have chronic hepatitis. This condition is quite rare and only occurs in people who have a weak immune system.

For example, chronic hepatitis E is more likely to occur in people who use drugs that weaken the immune system, or in people with HIV / AIDS.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of hepatitis E?

Generally, HEV symptoms can appear about 2-7 weeks after being infected with the virus. Symptoms also usually last for about 2 months and trigger conditions such as:

• yellowing of the skin and membranes of the eyes (jaundice),
• dark urine color like tea,
• joint pain,
• loss of appetite,
• stomach pain,
• swelling of the liver,
• acute liver failure,
• nausea and vomiting,
• fatigue, as well
• fever.

Basically, the symptoms of hepatitis E are similar to the signs of hepatitis in general. Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the above symptoms to get proper treatment.

When to see a doctor?

If you experience one or more of the symptoms, either mentioned or not mentioned, and are worrying, consult a doctor immediately.

The reason is, everyone's body has a different reaction, so there is a possibility that the symptoms will vary.

Causes and risk factors

What causes hepatitis E?

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the virus that causes this disease. This virus can usually be spread through contaminated drinking water.

In some developed countries, such as the United States, HEV can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as the consumption of undercooked pork or game.

How is hepatitis E transmitted?

Similar to hepatitis A, the hepatitis E virus spreads through the fecal-oral route due to drinking water contaminated with patient feces.

In addition, there are other ways of spreading the virus that have contributed to this case of HEV infection, namely:

• consumption of undercooked meat,
• blood transfusions exposed to the virus, as well
• vertical transmission, from pregnant women with hepatitis to their babies.

What factors increase the risk of developing this condition?

Anyone can get hepatitis E. However, there are several factors that can increase your risk of developing this condition, including:

• living in an environment with poor sanitation,
• having sex with people with HEV without contraception,
• live with chronic HEV patients,
• travel to areas with high HEV infection rates, and
• work as an animal handler, especially in pig farms.

The level of risk of being exposed to viral infections later will also increase with age. In addition, some experts say that men are more likely to experience this condition than women.

Complications

What are the complications of hepatitis E?

Generally, adult hepatitis E sufferers can recover on their own and the death rate from this virus is low.

However, it does not rule out that this disease can cause a number of complications, such as:

• acute liver failure,
• pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth and stillbirth,
• cirrhosis of the liver, as well
• permanent liver failure.

Chronic HEV complications are more common in patients with weakened immune systems.

Diagnosis and treatment

How to diagnose this condition?

Most cases of hepatitis E cannot be distinguished by symptoms from other types of hepatitis. However, doctors can usually diagnose this disease through the number of cases that occur in the surrounding environment.

In addition, there are a number of tests that must be undergone to detect this disease, such as:

• RNA antibody test,
• serological tests, and
• RT-PCR (transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction).

The three examinations above require special laboratories and are required in areas that have a fairly small number of HEV cases.

How to treat hepatitis E?

Hepatitis E can actually be cured without treatment, but this only applies to acute HEV. If you have entered the chronic stage and triggered a number of disturbing symptoms, treatment from a doctor is also needed.

The following are some drug and treatment options for treating hepatitis E that are recommended by doctors.

Hepatitis medication

The first step in treating hepatitis E is to prescribe drugs and immunosuppressive therapy. This is done to reduce the amount of virus in the blood by up to 30% in the patient.

If it does not work, an additional treatment option is to use antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin monotherapy.

Before using hepatitis drugs, such as immunosuppressant drugs, tell your doctor about all drugs used, including herbal medicines. Never start or stop any medication without consulting your doctor.

Liver transplant

If chronic hepatitis E causes permanent liver damage, it means you will need a liver transplant. After a transplant, your doctor may recommend pegylated interferon alpha therapy for 3-12 months.

On the other hand, this treatment can cause serious side effects and organ rejection in donor recipients.

Home remedies

What are the home treatment options for hepatitis E?

Basically, home treatment is important for every hepatitis E patient, both chronic and acute HEV. Home remedies aim to relieve symptoms.

The good news is that HEV patients with good immune systems usually only need simple treatments to get rid of this virus, such as:

• rest more at home,
• not rushing back to strenuous daily activities,
• meet the need for fluids to avoid dehydration,
• live a healthy diet and people with hepatitis should avoid certain foods, such as animal products, as well
• stop consuming alcohol which can damage liver health.

How can you prevent HEV?

So far, only one vaccine has been developed by researchers in China and used in that country.

However, the hepatitis E vaccine is not yet widely available and licensed, so you need to live a clean and healthy lifestyle to prevent hepatitis, namely:

• consumption of clean water, such as bottled water,
• avoid eating raw or unpeeled food,
• always wash fruits and vegetables with water before cooking or consumption, as well
• always wash your hands, especially after going to the toilet or before eating.

If you have further questions, please contact your doctor to get the right solution.