Hepatitis E primary prevention
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]
Overview
Prevention
As almost all HEV infections are spread by the faecal - oral route, improving sanitation is the most important measure good personal hygiene. High quality standards for public water supplies and proper disposal of sanitary waste have resulted in a low prevalence of HEV infections in many well developed societies.[1]
For travellers to high endemic areas, the usual elementary food hygiene precautions are recommended. These include:
- Avoiding drinking water and/or ice of unknown purity
- Eating uncooked shellfish, uncooked fruits or vegetables that are not peeled or prepared by the traveller
Guidelines for Epidemic Measures
The following measures should be observed in an epidemic situation:[2]
- Determination of the mode of transmission
- Identification of the population with an increased risk of infection
- Elimination of a common source of infection
- Improvement of sanitary and hygienic practices to eliminate faecal contamination of food and water
Vaccination
A vaccine based on recombinant viral proteins has been developed and recently tested in a high-risk population (military personnel of a developing country).[3] The vaccine appeared to be effective and safe, but further studies are needed to assess the long-term protection and the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis E vaccination.
References
- ↑ Mandell, Gerald (2010). Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's principles and practice of infectious diseases. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. ISBN 0443068399.
- ↑ "Hepatitis E".
- ↑ Shrestha MP, Scott RM, Joshi DM; et al. (2007). "Safety and efficacy of a recombinant hepatitis E vaccine". N. Engl. J. Med. 356 (9): 895–903. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa061847. PMID 17329696.