Hepatitis E vaccination is the most important and effective preventive measure (currently not available in Europe). To prevent hepatitis E, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.
Behavioral risk factors
- Drinking contaminated water
- Eating contaminated food – especially insufficiently cooked or raw pork, game, shellfish – the virus can be inactivated by heating > 70 °C for more than 20 min
- Dogs and cats also come as a carrier in question
Medication
- Blood transfusions (since January 1, 2020, all blood products will be tested for contamination with HEV).
Other risk factors
- Vertical infection – pathogen transmission from a host (here: the mother) to its offspring (here: the child).
- Transmission of infection during birth from mother to child.
- Transmission through organ transplantation
General prophylactic measures
- Eat only sufficiently heated food in the endemic area, i.e. sufficiently cook meat products at 70 °C for more than 20 min
- Pay attention to drinking water disinfection
- Hygiene in the processing and preparation of meat, especially wild boar meat.
- After animal contact should always be thoroughly cleaned hands.
- Eat only well-done or cooked meat.
- Persons with acute hepatitis E must not work in mass catering facilities, kitchens or food establishments; schools and community facilities must not be visited
- Vaccination is not currently available in Europe.
