Hepatitis E virus (HEV) can be acquired in a number of ways. The source of a sporadic case is often hard to determine.
The virus is present in blood and feces.
Usual sources of exposure:
(1) water contaminated with fecal material (human or animal)
(2) food contaminated with fecal material
(3) raw or undercooked shellfish
Rare sources of transmission:
(1) direct person-to-person transmission
(2) transfusion of blood products
(3) organ transplant from an infected donor
Risk factors for infection:
(1) residing in an area during a HEV epidemic
(2) poverty
(3) poor hygiene
(4) exposure to the blood, organs or feces of a person with hepatitis E
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
Purpose: To identify risk factors that may lead to a hepatitis E virus (HEV) exposure.
Specialty: Infectious Diseases, Gastroenterology
Objective: risk factors
ICD-10: B17.2,
