Finding the right tests…
Emergency services available 24 x 7
Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
ELISA
Hepatitis E spreads mainly through contaminated drinking water in areas with poor sanitation, and in some countries through undercooked pork, wild boar, or shellfish - and this blood test looks for IgM, the antibody your immune system makes early in the infection. Most people, including healthy adults, clear it within weeks with no lasting damage, but pregnancy changes that picture sharply: a review of symptomatic pregnant women with hepatitis E in endemic countries found nearly half developed liver failure, with substantial rates of maternal and fetal death. That gap is the main reason doctors test specifically for this virus rather than treating any hepatitis in pregnancy the same way.
The result is a straightforward positive or negative for HEV IgM antibody. A positive result generally means the infection is recent, since IgM appears early and does not persist the way IgG does. In pregnant women, the same review found fulminant hepatic failure in close to half of symptomatic cases, with substantial rates of both maternal and fetal death - figures that make a confirmed positive result far more urgent to act on during pregnancy than in someone who isn't pregnant. Confirmatory testing with HEV RNA is sometimes used alongside IgM in uncertain cases.
Most healthy adults outside pregnancy clear hepatitis E on their own with no lasting liver damage. Pregnant women are the clear exception: in a review of over 1,300 symptomatic pregnant women with hepatitis E, close to half developed fulminant hepatic failure, roughly a quarter of the mothers died, and about a third of the pregnancies ended in fetal death. This gap is large enough that hepatitis E is treated as a specific pregnancy concern rather than a routine viral illness.
- Drinking water contaminated with sewage, mainly in regions with poor sanitation - Undercooked pork, wild boar meat, or venison in some countries - Rarely, shellfish harvested from contaminated water
Ribavirin is the only antiviral drug with any real effect against hepatitis E, and it cannot be safely used during pregnancy - the one situation where the infection is most dangerous. That gap is why doctors lean more heavily on early diagnosis, monitoring, and supportive care rather than a specific cure.
A positive HEV IgM result in a pregnant patient typically leads to closer monitoring of liver function, and sometimes confirmatory HEV RNA testing, since decisions in pregnancy are made faster than for a non-pregnant adult with the same infection.
A review of symptomatic pregnant women with hepatitis E in countries where it's common found fulminant liver failure in close to half of cases, with major rates of maternal and fetal death. That risk is far higher than in non-pregnant adults, which is why a positive result in pregnancy prompts closer, faster monitoring.
It generally means you have a recent hepatitis E infection, since IgM antibodies appear early and don't stay detectable the way IgG does. Your doctor may add an HEV RNA test to confirm the diagnosis, particularly if the result affects treatment decisions.
It's most often linked to drinking water contaminated with sewage, particularly in areas with inconsistent water treatment. Undercooked pork or wild game meat is a more common source in some other countries.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Ribavirin is the only antiviral drug with meaningful effect against hepatitis E, but it isn't safe to use during pregnancy, which is exactly when the infection is most dangerous. Outside pregnancy, most people recover with supportive care alone.
There's no fixed fasting rule for this test. Ask your doctor or the centre when you book, especially if liver function tests are being done from the same sample.
It's uncommon, but chronic hepatitis E has been reported in people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients. For most people, the infection clears within weeks without lasting liver damage.