Most cases of hepatitis E infection in Germany are caused by HEV genotype 3, which is predominantly asymptomatic,i.e., without symptoms.
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate hepatitis E:
Leading symptoms
- Icterus (jaundice)
- Pruritus (itching)
- Upper abdominal pain
- Exanthema (skin rash), unspecified
- Dark urine
- Light stool
Concomitant symptoms (nonspecific and extrahepatic manifestations/occurrence outside the liver).
- Fatigue
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Anorexia (loss of appetite)
- Nausea (nausea), vomiting.
- Diarrhea (diarrhea)
- Cephalgia (headache)
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Myalgia (muscle pain)
- Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS; synonyms: Idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis, Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome); two courses: acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (disease of the peripheral nervous system); idiopathic polyneuritis (diseases of multiple nerves) of spinal nerve roots and peripheral nerves with ascending paralysis and pain; usually occurs after infections [very rare].
- Glomerulonephritis – kidney disease caused by inflammation of the renal corpuscles [very rare].
- Meningitis (meningitis), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), myopathy (muscle disease) [very rare].
* Nonspecific signs of illness that precede the more hepatitis-typical symptoms.
Other indications
- 90-99% of infections are clinically inapparent (ie, without symptoms) in immunocompetent patients and usually heal without sequelae.
- If the infection is symptomatic, it comes after about two to three weeks to spontaneous improvement and healing.
- In chronic hepatitis E virus infection, only slightly elevated transaminases are detectable.
