Travel Health Advice - Hepatitis E
Hepatitis E
What is it? A viral infection that follows a similar course to hepatitis A with no chronic phase. In pregnant women hepatitis E takes a much more severe form with a case-fatality rate reaching 20%. How is it transmitted? Contaminated drinking water. Where is it present? Worldwide. Level of risk? Proportional to water quality. What can I do to prevent getting it? Avoid contaminated water or food washed in unclean water. Treatment? Currently no effective treatment.