Last April, health authorities issued a warning concerning the consumption of certain sausages. These caused about ten cases of hepatitis E in the PACA region. Nice Premium takes a closer look at this disease.
Hepatitis E is an infection caused by a virus commonly found in developing countries. Previously, the cases seen in France were imported by tourists. However, recently the epidemiology has changed. Non-imported cases, meaning those affecting individuals who have not traveled, have increased considerably.
Contamination occurs through the fecal-oral route, in other words, by ingesting contaminated food or untreated water. We do not yet fully understand the transmission routes. The literature suggests the possibility of transfusion transmission (via blood) but not sexual transmission. The reservoir for the disease is animal; the virus is primarily hosted by game, pork, wild boar, etc. Therefore, undercooked meat represents a danger, particularly since the virus withstands freezing and salting.
No Specific Clinical Signs
The symptoms of hepatitis E are similar to those of hepatitis A, including extreme fatigue, flu-like syndrome, fever, nausea, anorexia, liver enlargement, and eventually jaundice. There are no specific clinical signs of this hepatitis, so diagnosis is made through a blood test. This test looks for specific antibodies and the virus.
The Treatment
There is neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment available. Antibiotics are useless as it is a viral disease. Rest is, therefore, the sole path to recovery. Patients should avoid alcohol and medications that affect the liver. The doctor must monitor the patient as the disease can progress to fulminant hepatitis, which destroys the liver, especially if the liver is already affected by an alcohol-related or chronic disease. The overall condition then significantly deteriorates, the patient becomes jaundiced, and the virus affects other organs. Extreme cases lead to coma and death. The only alternative then is a liver transplant.
Precautions to Take
The precautions to prevent the disease are the same as those to avoid any fecal-oral contamination: use clean water (beware of ice cubes when traveling) and wash hands before putting them to the mouth. It’s also essential to cook meat thoroughly.
Doctors must remain vigilant because the diagnosis does not present itself automatically: in the presence of a flu-like syndrome, the virus should be searched for in the blood. Above all, special care should be taken with individuals weakened by another illness.
