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| ==Epidemiology and Demographics== | | ==Epidemiology and Demographics== |
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| ===Patterns===
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| Hepatitis E is prevalent in most [[developing countries]], and not uncommon in any country with a hot climate. It is widespread in Southeast Asia, northern and central Africa, India, and Central America. It is spread mainly through [[feces|fecal contamination]] of water supplies or food; person-to-person transmission is uncommon. Outbreaks of epidemic Hepatitis E most commonly occur after heavy rainfalls and [[monsoons]] because of their disruption of water supplies. Major outbreaks have occurred in [[New Delhi]], [[India]] (30,000 cases in [[1955]]-[[1956]]), [[Myanmar]] (20,000 cases in [[1976]]-[[1977]]), [[Kashmir]], [[India]] (52,000 cases in [[1978]]), [[Kanpur]], [[India]] (79,000 cases in [[1991]]), and [[China]] (100,000 cases between [[1986]] and [[1988]]).
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| ===Animals as a Reservoir===
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| Domestic animals have been reported as a reservoir for the hepatitis E virus, with some surveys showing infection rates exceeding 95% among domestic pigs.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Satou K, Nishiura H |title=Transmission dynamics of hepatitis E among swine: potential impact upon human infection |journal=BMC Vet. Res. |volume=3 |issue= |pages=9 |year=2007 |pmid=17493260 |doi=10.1186/1746-6148-3-9 |url=http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/3/9}}</ref> Transmission after consumption of [[wild boar]] meat and uncooked deer meat has been reported as well.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Li TC, Chijiwa K, Sera N, ''et al'' |title=Hepatitis E virus transmission from wild boar meat |journal=Emerging Infect. Dis. |volume=11 |issue=12 |pages=1958-60 |year=2005 |pmid=16485490 |url=http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no12/05-1041.htm}}</ref> The rate of transmission to humans by this route and the public health importance of this are however still unclear.
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| ===Recent Outbreaks===
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| In [[2004]], there were two major outbreaks, both of them in sub-[[Sahara|Saharan]] [[Africa]]. There was an outbreak in [[Chad]] in which, as of September 27 there were 1,442 reported cases and 46 deaths. In [[Sudan]], which has been troubled with conflict recently (see, [[Darfur conflict]]), they are also suffering from a severe Hepatitis E epidemic. As of September 28, there were 6,861 cases and 87 deaths, mainly in the West Darfur Region. [[UNICEF]], [[Doctors Without Borders]], the [[Red Cross]], and other international health organizations are currently working to increase the availability of soap, dig new wells, and [[chlorination|chlorinate]] water supplies and reserves. However, the existing resources are still not enough, and more personnel and funds are severely needed in the region to assure the [[health]] and [[quality of life|welfare]] of the people. Increasingly, hepatitis E is being seen in developed nations with reports of cases in the UK, US and Japan. The disease is thought to be a zoonosis in that animals are thought to be the source. Both deer and pigs have been implicated.
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| ==References== | | ==References== |
| {{reflist|2}} | | {{reflist|2}} |