Hepatitis E
Content date: 13 November 2026
Most people recover from this viral infection. It can be more severe during pregnancy or with existing liver disease, and may persist in people with weakened immunity.
Your next step
Bring your results and medicine list; mention recent travel and suspected food or water exposure.
Get urgent help: Confusion, difficulty waking, bleeding, vomiting that prevents drinking or rapid deterioration: seek urgent assessment.
How does it spread?
- Usually through contaminated water or food, sometimes linked to undercooked meat or shellfish. Use safe drinking water, wash your hands and cook food thoroughly, especially when travelling.
Symptoms and tests
- Fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice may occur, or there may be no symptoms. Symptoms alone cannot identify the type of hepatitis.
- Your clinician may request specific antibodies and a viral genetic-material test (HEV RNA), alongside liver tests. Viral testing is particularly important with weakened immunity.
Treatment and follow-up
- Care is usually supportive: fluids, food as tolerated and rest. Review all medicines and painkillers with your clinician; avoid alcohol and herbal mixtures.
- Persistent infection after transplantation or with weakened immunity may need specialist treatment and carefully supervised medicine changes. Do not stop anti-rejection medicines or start an antiviral yourself.
Pregnancy or existing liver disease
- Infection can be more severe during pregnancy. Suspected symptoms need same-day assessment; tell your clinician if you are or may be pregnant.
- Also seek advice early with chronic liver disease or immune-suppressing treatment; do not wait for a routine appointment if new jaundice develops.
When to get help
Confusion, difficulty waking, bleeding, vomiting that prevents drinking or rapid deterioration: seek urgent assessment.
New jaundice or dark urine with fatigue and nausea: contact a clinician the same day, especially during pregnancy or after transplantation.
Related guides
Hepatitis A and protecting close contacts
Raised liver enzymes: what do they mean?
Care after liver transplantation