Hepatitis E natural history
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S. [2]
Natural History
The incubation period following exposure to HEV ranges from 3 to 8 weeks, with a mean of 40 days. The period of communicability is unknown. There are no chronic infections reported.
Hepatitis E virus causes acute sporadic and epidemic viral hepatitis. Symptomatic HEV infection is most common in young adults aged 15-40 years. Although HEV infection is frequent in children, it is mostly asymptomatic or causes a very mild illness without jaundice (anicteric) that goes undiagnosed.
Complications
Prognosis
Prognosis mostly is good with only few patients developing chronic hepatitis. Hepatitis E usually resolves on its own over several weeks to months.