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A NEWLY discovered type of the hepatitis virus, hepatitis E, has been
officially confirmed as a separate disease. It was announced last week at
the 8th International Congress on Virology in Berlin (This Week, 24 March).
Daniel Bradley of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, says that
hepatitis E is a non-A non-B hepatitis, and is also different from hepatitis
C.

‘Hepatitis C,’ said Bradley, ‘has not been seen under an electron microscope.
E has. Although both viruses have single-stranded RNA genomes in common,
type E has no lipid associated with it.’ Bradley added: ‘Type E is transmitted
like type A – through contaminated water – and also has a similar incubation
±è±ð°ù¾±´Ç»å.’

The similarity stops there. Type A is most commonly seen in children
younger than five years old. After the disease runs its course, victims
are left immune. Type E – which is seen mostly in young adults in the developing
world – leaves the body with no protection against reinfection.

The disease can kill one in five pregnant women. Precautions, however,
are relatively simple said Bradley: heating water to between 40 Degree C
and 50 Degree C is sufficient to destroy it.