What is Foggy Liver Disease?

The liver is a vital organ in the human body, and any issues with it can have significant consequences. Hepatitis is a diverse group of diseases, and one type that may be unfamiliar to some is hepatitis E, often erroneously referred to as "fog liver." Hepatitis E is a common form of hepatitis similar to hepatitis B. Let's delve into what hepatitis E is and its associated characteristics.

Hepatitis E, also known as viral hepatitis E, is a disease with epidemiological characteristics similar to hepatitis A. It is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, with waterborne outbreaks being the most common form of transmission. Occasionally, it can also be transmitted through contaminated food or through daily contact. The disease exhibits distinct seasonal patterns, often occurring after rainy seasons or floods. The primary affected population is young and middle-aged adults, with pregnant women being particularly susceptible and often experiencing more severe symptoms and higher fatality rates. There is no evidence of family clustering in hepatitis E cases.

The incubation period for hepatitis E ranges from 10 to 60 days, with an average of 40 days. The onset of the disease is usually acute, and jaundice is a common symptom. About half of the patients experience fever, accompanied by fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and liver pain. About one-third of patients report joint pain. Other symptoms include itching, light-colored stool (more prominent than in hepatitis A), and enlargement of the liver (splenomegaly is less common). In most cases, jaundice resolves within two weeks, and the disease course lasts for 6 to 8 weeks. It generally does not progress to a chronic condition. However, pregnant women infected with hepatitis E often experience severe symptoms and are prone to liver failure, especially in the late stages of pregnancy, leading to high fatality rates, miscarriages, and stillbirths. This may be attributed to low levels of serum immunoglobulins. Additionally, individuals who are already infected with hepatitis B (HBsAg positive) and contract hepatitis E may experience a more severe illness that can progress to acute fulminant hepatitis.

There are several routes of transmission for hepatitis E:

• Food contamination can lead to outbreaks of the disease. In China, there have been reported cases of hepatitis E outbreaks due to contaminated food.
• The fecal-oral route is a common mode of transmission, often resulting from contaminated water sources. Outbreaks tend to peak during rainy seasons or after floods, and the scale of the epidemic depends on the degree of water contamination.
• Daily contact with infected individuals can also lead to transmission.
• Research has shown that transfusion of blood or plasma containing the hepatitis E virus can also cause infection in recipients.

It's important to be aware of these transmission routes and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of hepatitis E.