Risk Factors for Acute Hepatitis E: a Questionnaire Survey of Patients in Northern Japan

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a zoonotic food-borne disease. In Hokkaido, ingestion of raw pork liver or intestines is considered to be responsible for HEV infection. We interviewed patients on animal internal organ intake prior to developing hepatitis E, to investigate into this relationship. Among 32 patients with hepatitis E, four patients had history of raw or undercooked liver, and nine undercooked intestines intake. Two patients ingested both raw liver and undercooked intestines. 11 cases (34%) had no history of eating intestine during latency period. In this series of patients in Sapporo, ingestion of liver or intestine was at most responsible for 34% of patients with hepatitis E and was a predominant risk factor of HEV infection.