Hepatitis E in Nepal.

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis E is an acute disease caused by hepatitis E virus that usually manifest as acute jaundice. The hallmark of the disease is its high incidence in young adults, and high mortality in pregnant women from acute hepatic failure. It is a waterborne infection and occurs sporadically or as epidemic outbreaks. Kathmandu valley is a hyper-endemic area for hepatitis E, where during last 30 years three large epidemics and many focal outbreaks have occurred. About 50% of the sporadic cases of acute hepatitis in Kathmandu valley are caused by hepatitis E. This paper describes the epidemiology hepatitis E in Nepal, and its clinical features and management.