Danger on the grill Who grills so can catch hepatitis E.

Care when grilling: Dangerous infection with hepatitis E threatens

Although it has become a bit cooler in some regions of Germany, but it is almost always warm enough for grilling. However, experts caution barbecue fans to take care: otherwise, when eating certain foods, health problems can be threatened, in the worst case even a dangerous infection with hepatitis E..

Take care when grilling

Most Germans love barbecues. But beware: When sausages, meat and Co. are put on the grid in warm weather, a lot should be kept to minimize health hazards. In order to keep healthy, it should be ensured, among other things, that the food does not sting, as it can cause carcinogenic substances. It is also very important to sufficiently heat products made from pork, as otherwise an unpleasant and in the worst case dangerous infection with hepatitis E threatens.

According to health experts, care should always be taken when grilling. For example, if pork is not heated enough, hepatitis E infection can be imminent. (Image: karandaev / fotolia.com)

More and more hepatitis E diseases

As reported by the University Hospital Essen in a recent communication, the number of cases of hepatitis E has increased significantly in recent years in Germany.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin, just under 3,000 cases were reported in 2017, about four times more than in 2013.

The total number of new infections is estimated by experts in Germany on the basis of antibody studies even to about 400,000 cases per year.

Other European countries have also seen an increase in hepatitis E numbers in recent years.

"Although hepatitis E is not as prevalent as other food-borne diseases, it is a growing problem in the EU," said Rosina Girones of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in a press release.

For certain people, the infection can be very dangerous

Most hepatitis E infections heal with those with no or little noticeable symptoms.

Sometimes it comes only after weeks to flu-like symptoms such as fever, nausea and vomiting or even dark urine.

Later, jaundice and upper abdominal pain are often added, the former not occurring in all patients.

However, for people with weakened immune systems or chronic liver disease, infection can be very dangerous.

Like the liver expert Prof. Dr. med. Heiner Wedemeyer of the Essen University Medical Center warns that these persons are at risk of chronic illnesses with acute symptoms or dangerous liver cirrhosis.

Minimize the risk of infection

Since not properly heated pork is the most common cause of hepatitis E infections, the meat should be roasted on the grill at least 70 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Furthermore, consumers who want to minimize the risk of infection, should "abstain from eating raw meat products such as Mett and short-ripened raw sausages (such as fresh Mettwurst)," writes the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) on its website.

"This recommendation applies in particular to particularly sensitive groups of people (for example immunocompromised persons, persons with pre-existing liver damage and pregnant women)," say the experts. (Ad)