Hepatitis E, known as Enteric non-A, non-B, is a viral hepatitis that is most commonly found in geographical areas lacking clean water and sanitation.

It is not common or typical in countries or areas with clean drinking water and adequate environmental sanitation. Typically, people diagnosed with hepatitis E have become infected during travels to or stays in geographical areas lacking clean water or sanitation.

When traveling to geographical areas where the water supply is doubtful:

• Avoid drinking the water unless it is sealed bottled water.
  
• Avoid using local ice.
  
• Avoid uncooked shellfish.
  
• Avoid uncooked fruits or vegetables that are not peeled or prepared by the traveler.
  

There are no known long-term effects of hepatitis E. It is not known to cause chronic infections.

Since Hepatitis E is primarily transmitted by contaminated drinking water it is not thought to be sexually transmitted.

Symptoms of hepatitis E resemble those of hepatitis A:

• Low-grade fever
  
• Malaise (General ill feeling)
  
• Anorexia (lack of appetite)
  
• Nausea
  
• Abdominal discomfort
  
• Dark colored urine
  
• Jaundice
  

Hepatitis E is not known to cause chronic infection.

Hepatitis E is transmitted through oral contact with feces. This is primarily through contaminated water sources and a lack of sanitation.

There are no specific blood tests commercially available for detecting HEV antigen or antibodies.

Tests for hepatitis E that detect HEV antibodies (anti-HEV), antigens, or genetic material (RNA) are available only in research laboratories.

• Conventional Treatments
  

Most people with hepatitis E experience a self-limited illness (one that runs a defined, limited course) and go on to recover completely. There is no accepted therapy, nor restrictions on diet or activity.

In most cases, hospitalization should be considered for people who are severely ill for provision of supportive care.

Some of the other hepatitis viruses have preventive vaccines available. However, there is no vaccine for hepatitis E. The only way to prevent the disease is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. This means avoiding tap water when traveling internationally and practicing good hygiene and sanitation.

• Alternative/Complementary Treatments
  

Fighting disease is a battle. Some turn to strictly alternative approaches in anguish when conventional treatments are exhausted. However, “alternative” treatments when used in addition to conventional medicine are often referred to as “complementary”. Complementary medicine is a more balanced approach in the effort to treat disease and is recommended because it allows one to take advantage of all options that are available.

It should be noted that because alternative or natural remedies are not regulated, many medical professionals advise against them because of the lack of pier studies and uncertainty of the level of quality control. In addition, they advise that any substance that can affect the body's chemistry can, like any drug, produce side effects that may be harmful. In other words, herbal remedies should be viewed as symptom treating aids, just as pharmaceutical drugs are.

However, there is hope. A relatively new science, called Glycobiology, now offers revolutionary and exciting options. Rather than taking the approach of treating a disease or even a symptom, Glycobiology addresses the nutritional requirement at the cellular level. It is believed that:

"Glycobiology is the last scientific frontier to be conquered. It is now understood that there is a 'sugar code' in biological structures that relates to both health and disease. Our ability to define the factors that regulate normal glycosylation of proteins and lipids, resulting in normal structures and functions, and those that cause disruption of normal sugar attachments will be important in understanding disease processes and their management.

Many investigative approaches are being used to study these structure-function relationships and their biological consequences. These include novel analytical techniques to investigate chemical and 3-dimensional structures, proteomics to understand the relationship between glycosylation change and disease, model living systems in which to study the impact of glycosylation, and new enzyme and glycotherapeutic techniques to alter abnormal structures.

Most major diseases that afflict mankind (e.g., cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases) directly involve glycoconjugates. The ultimate goal is to develop the science of glycobiology so that it can have a significant impact on our ability to define and support health, and to diagnose and manage disease."
John S. Axford, BS, MD, FRCP

In 1994, legislation was passed that enabled millions of Americans to enjoy access to safe, effective and affordable dietary supplements. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate) revealed the following:

• The importance of nutrition and the benefits of dietary supplements to health promotion and disease prevention have been documented increasingly in scientific studies;
  
• There is a link between the ingestion of certain nutrients or dietary supplements and the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis; and
  
• Clinical research has shown that several chronic diseases can be prevented simply with a healthful diet, such as a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, with a high proportion of plant-based foods;
  

I have seen first hand the power and benefits of Glycobiology as it relates to my wife LaDonna and her battle and victory against liver disease. Her turnaround validates the findings that Congress and many scientists in the field of Glycobiology have determined; we must not underestimate the importance of nutrition. A category of specific nutrients led us to find a specific nutritional therapy, which proved very positive. These particular nutrients are called glyconutrients. More specific information on these and other nutritional building blocks associated with this science may be found here.

Hepatitis E usually resolves on its own over several weeks to months.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute hepatitis but does not lead to long term liver damage.

This virus is more commonly seen in areas where hygienic practices are poor, such as developing nations. It is rarely seen in the United States.

It can however cause a serious infection in women who are in the last three months of pregnancy, possibly being fatal in 1 in 5 cases. Hepatitis E may also cause a miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy. Pregnant women are advised to see a specialist as a matter of urgency.

On a more personal note...

In June of 2004, my wife LaDonna was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis after blood tests,liver scan, and a liver biopsy revealed 85% damage. Her doctor recommended that she should consider a liver transplant as soon as possible.

The success of her treatment came as a result depending less and less on drugs and more and more on nutrition. The specific category of nutrition that brought about this success is glyconutrients.

It is clear that autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis E are completely distinct conditions, and there is no evidence of a link between infection with the HEV and autoimmune hepatitis. However, just as autoimmune hepatitis presents chronic fatigue (as my wife LaDonna can attest), many with HEV begin to feel a similar chronic fatigue that is commonly associated with this particular disease.

While there are no guarantees, it is possible that LaDonna's treatment plan that led to a complete reversal of her autoimmune hepatitis could possibly offer similar hope for those suffering with HEV. The same glyconutrient therapy that brought about a reduction of chronic fatigue and a return of her energy level could conceivably bring about improved energy levels and improved liver enzymes levels in those afflicted with HEV. Just as her immune system was optimized, an optimized immune system in a patient with HEV could give the body a better chance of dealing with this virus.

While hepatitis E is caused from a different virus than that of hepatitis C, this fact is still worth noting. In a Clinical Study of 8 HCV-Positive Patients who were given natural Glyconutrient supplements, published in the peer-reviewed Medical Journal "Proceedings of the Fisher Institute For Medical Research", 88% showed improvements in ALT and/or AST, the Liver Enzyme markers which characteristically test abnormal for HCV patients. In addition, 50% of the patients showed marked improvement in fatigue.

Since this study was run, a higher potency Glyconutrient formulation has been developed and is the one that LaDonna used.

We invite you to stay and browse through the other information found on our site. Or perhaps you'd like to speak with us right away, to learn more about glyconutrients and the specifics of LaDonna's nutritritional therapy. Maybe you would like to explore if this therapy might be useful for other disease concerns. If so, please provide an e-mail address in the form below and we would be happy to get back to you with contact information so that we could make arrangements to speak privately with you at your convenience. Important: Please be sure that there are no typos in your e-mail address so that we will be successful in contacting you.

This site is Not Intended for and Does Not Give Medical Advice.

This web site is here for general purposes only. Nothing on it should be considered as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your own medical doctor. Some information you read on this site may be inappropriate for your own situation, or you may interpret or misinterpret something in a way that could be distressing or harmful to you. For advice about your own situation, ask your doctor!