Hepatitis E
Overview
*New England Journal of Medicine 356:895, 2007
- RNA hepevirus
- spread by the faecal-oral route
- incubation period: 3-8 weeks
- common in Central and South-East Asia, North and West Africa, and in Mexico
- causes a similar disease to hepatitis A, but carries a significant mortality (about 20%) during pregnancy
- does not cause chronic disease or an increased risk of hepatocellular cancer
- a vaccine is currently in development*, but is not yet in widespread use
*New England Journal of Medicine 356:895, 2007