Patient's question:
My father was recently diagnosed with hepatitis E. We have always eaten dinner together with my father. What is hepatitis E?Doctor's answer:
Hepatitis E virus infection occurs in the mouth, seeps into the liver, and replicates. During the incubation period and the early stage of illness, the virus is excreted in the feces. The pathological changes are similar to those of hepatitis A, with hepatocyte swelling, punctate or focal purulence, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the portal area. Clinical manifestations of acute hepatitis, along with positive anti-HEV IgM or anti-HEV IgG, or detection of HEV particles in the feces, can confirm the diagnosis of hepatitis E. Hepatitis E can be self-limiting, and your current condition requires further follow-up tests to see how the two types of hepatitis recover and heal. Elevated alkaline phosphatase and glutamyl transpeptidase are not significant. Don’t worry too much. No further treatment is needed. Pay attention to eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of water.