What is Hepatitis E?
Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease, and contaminated water or food supplies have been implicated in major outbreaks. Symptoms include nausea, fatigue, jaundice and loss of appetite, abdominal pain & fever. Mortality rates are generally low.
Countries of Risk:
Hepatitis E It has worldwide distribution, most often in developing countries near the equator, in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Outbreaks are associated with rainy seasons, floods, and overcrowding. It has been found in much of Central and South-East Asia, North and West Africa, and in Mexico, confined to geographic areas where fecal contamination of drinking water is common.
Preparations for Travel to Risk Areas & Recommended Immunizations:
Travelers should avoid tap water when traveling internationally and practicing good hygiene and sanitation. There is no vaccine for hepatitis E; the only way to prevent the disease is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. Hepatitis E is a “self-limiting” disease, in that it usually goes away by itself and the patient recovers.
Healthy World Traveler 