September 12, 2018.
Hepatitis E, potentially fatal, has literally exploded in France: according to the Institute for Public Health Surveillance, the number of cases diagnosed rose from 9 in 2002 to 2,292 in 2016. Explanations.
A better diagnosis of hepatitis E in France
In his Weekly epidemiological bulletin published Tuesday, September 11, the Institute for Public Health Surveillance reported a real explosion in hepatitis E cases in 15 years of surveillance (2002-2016). This disease, which according to the WHO affects 20 million people each year, for an estimated mortality rate of around 3%, would no longer be an import disease but an indigenous disease. The National Reference Center (CNR) thus indicates thatin 2016, 2,292 indigenous cases were diagnosed, compared to 9 imported cases. At the same time, the number of hospitalization cases has also increased, from 57 to 653. So why such an increase in cases in France?
According to the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, this is mainly due to better knowledge of the disease, due to important scientific advances on the subject. ” The number of diagnosed cases was low and knowledge about its epidemiology was limited », We can read in the Epidemiological Bulletin. Corn ” From 2010, the availability of efficient serological and molecular diagnostic tests, with an increased use of commercial tests, led to an increase in the number of people tested with the number of indigenous cases greatly exceeding the number of imported cases. “.
Pork, the main vector of hepatitis E
While the hepatitis E virus is mainly transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water, in France, the main vector of transmission is pork., particularly products made from raw or undercooked liver. The main focus is on fresh or dried liver sausages, in particular Corsican figatelli.
The recommendation is therefore to cook pork preparations to heart, as well as game such as deer or wild boar, which would also be at risk. Finally, note that the symptoms of hepatitis E, which is a chronic or acute inflammation of the liver, are characterized by severe fatigue or jaundice. In its strongest form, it can be fatal. So be extra vigilant when you do your shopping, carefully read the composition of the products you buy!
Aurelie Giraud
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