Patient's question:
My junior high school classmate Xia Li had a baby, and we were all planning to visit their home next Sunday. However, he called us today and asked us not to come, saying he would call us again later. He told us that his husband, who is unknowingly infected with hepatitis E, is in self-isolation in a small room at home. He is afraid that we might get infected if we visit their home.Doctor's answer:
Hello. From an etiological perspective, hepatitis E is a viral hepatitis caused by the hepatitis E virus, similar to hepatitis A, primarily spreading through the fecal-oral route. If you consume animal organs, food, or water contaminated with the hepatitis E virus, you may contract hepatitis E. Although hepatitis E is less common compared to hepatitis A and hepatitis B, its severity is by no means insignificant. When hepatitis E occurs, patients not only experience common liver disease symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite but are also at high risk of developing life-threatening complications such as hepatic encephalopathy and disseminated intravascular coagulation.