What Is Hepatitis E?
Hepatitis E is a form of viral hepatitis which is prevalent in developing nations with poor sanitation. Like other forms of viral hepatitis, the condition is caused by a virus which attacks the liver, causing inflammation and a decline in liver function which can lead to fatigue, nausea, abdominal tenderness, and jaundice. In some cases, hepatitis E can lead to liver failure, a life-threatening complication which will lead to death if it is not addressed. Doctors recognized some form of hepatitis E as early as the 1950s, when they documented viral outbreaks of what came to be known as enteric non-A, non-B hepatitis. In the 1980s, microscopy of fecal samples from affected patients was used to identify the virus and distinguish it from other hepatitis viruses, and the designation “hepatitis E” was used to describe the distinctive virus. This form of viral hepatitis is transmitted through fecal contact with infected individuals. The most common vector is water, which can become contaminat
