Underweight And Anemic Pregnant Women Are At Higher Risk Of Acquiring Hepatitis E

Researchers identified the correlation of vitamin D and Zinc deficiencies, immune dysfunction and the Hepatitis E infection risk in pregnant women. The study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was published in the journal American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene on Jan. 6, 2016.

According to the report of Science Daily, the scholars found out that 45 percent of infected pregnant women were categorized as underweight with low body mass index. And anemia also hit nearly three times the number of the infected women. They also discovered that infected pregnant women had Vitamin D and Zinc deficiencies. Pregnant women who also have immune dysfunction have a greater risk of getting Hepatitis E and other virulent diseases.

"Our research group estimates that hepatitis E causes about 10,500 maternal deaths every year just in South East Asia, and the nearly 30 percent fatality rate among pregnant women is as high as Ebola's' during some outbreaks," Britanny Kmush, the lead author  and a doctoral student in the Department of International Health at the Bloomberg School, explained.

"Most of the current knowledge about how hepatitis E affects pregnant women comes from studies looking at women who are already infected," Allan Labrique, Ph.D., the study leader and the associate professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of International Health said.

WebMD states that Hepatitis E is an infection that can defile the liver. However, it does not lead to long-term illness. It can be acquired by eating food or drinking water that are contaminated by stool or someone infected by the virus. Treatment of Hepatitis E infection includes eating nutritious foods, drinking plenty of water and fruit juices, take a time to rest, avoid drinking alcohol and taking of illegal drugs and take the medication prescribed by the doctors.