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Hepatitis E

What is Hepatitis E?

Hepatitis pronounced - HEP-ah-TY-tis.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Hepatitis makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. Several different viruses - hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses - cause viral hepatitis. All of these viruses cause acute, or short-term, viral hepatitis.

You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it.

How Hepatitis E Spreads

Hepatitis E is spread through food or water contaminated by feces from an infected person. This disease is uncommon in the United States.

Who is at Risk for Hepatitis E?

People most likely to be exposed to the hepatitis E virus are:

• International travelers, particularly those traveling to developing countries
• People living in areas where hepatitis E outbreaks are common
• People who live with or have sex with an infected person

Prevention of Hepatitis E

There is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved vaccine for hepatitis E. The only way to prevent the disease is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.

Reducing risk of exposure means avoiding tap water when traveling internationally and practicing good hygiene and sanitation.

Treatment for Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E usually resolves on its own over several weeks to months.

Other Types of Hepatitis

Hepatitis has the following forms:

• Autoimmune Hepatitis - Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells. This immune response causes inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis.
• Hepatitis A - A virus most often spread by unclean food and water.
• Hepatitis B - A virus commonly spread by sexual intercourse or blood transfusion, or from mother to newborn at birth. Another way it spreads is by using a needle that was used by an infected person. Hepatitis B is more common and much more easily spread than the AIDS virus and may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Hepatitis C - A virus spread by blood transfusion and possibly by sexual intercourse or sharing needles with infected people. Hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C used to be called non-A, non-B hepatitis.
• Hepatitis D - Delta Agent - Delta agent is a type of virus that occurs mostly in people who take illegal drugs by using needles. Only people who have hepatitis B can get hepatitis D
• Hepatitis E - A virus spread mostly through unclean water. This type of hepatitis is common in developing countries. It has not occurred in the United States.

Other Causes of Hepatitis

Some cases of viral hepatitis cannot be attributed to the hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E viruses, or even the less common viruses that can infect the liver, such as:

• Cytomegalovirus
• Epstein-Barr virus, also called infectious mononucleosis
• Herpesvirus
• Parvovirus
• Adenovirus

These cases are called non-A-E hepatitis. Scientists continue to study the causes of non-A-E hepatitis.

Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order

* Cirrhosis
Pronounced - suh-ROH-sis
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long term disease. Cirrhosis has many causes. In the United States, the most common causes are chronic alcoholism and hepatitis. Nothing will make the scar tissue disappear, but treating the cause can keep it from getting worse. If too much scar tissue forms, you may need to consider a liver transplant. More about Cirrhosis.

For More Information About Hepatitis E

American Liver Foundation (ALF)
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603
New York, NY 10038
Phone: 1-800-GO-Liver (465-4837)
1-888-4HEP-USA (443-7872), or 212-668-1000
Fax: 212-483-8179
Email: info@liverfoundation.org
Internet: www.liverfoundation.org

Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI)
504 Blick Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904-2901
Phone: 1-800-891-0707 or 301-622-4200
Fax: 301-622-4702
Email: hfi@comcast.net
Internet: www.hepfi.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Viral Hepatitis
1600 Clifton Road
Mail Stop C-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)
Fax: 404-371-5488
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Internet: www.cdc.gov/hepatitis

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3570
Phone: 1-800-891-5389
TTY: 1-866-569-1162
Fax: 703-738-4929
Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

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References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
February 2008
digestive.niddk.nih.gov

The information discussed above is a general overview and does not include all the facts, or include everything there is to know about any medicine and/or products mentioned. Do not use any medicine and/or products without first talking to your doctor. Possible side effects of medications, other than those listed, may occur. Other brand names or generic forms of this medicine may also be available. If you have questions or concerns, or want more information, your doctor or pharmacist has the complete prescribing information about this medicine and possible drug interactions.