Acute Viral Hepatitis E Presenting With Bell’s Palsy and Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report

Hepatitis E is a hepatotropic virus and the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis among adults in India. It has four genotypes, and genotype 1 is mostly associated with sporadic cases. It typically causes self-limiting acute hepatitis following a prodromal course. However, a subset of patients presents with cholestatic features mimicking primary cholestatic liver diseases like primary biliary cholangitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis. Liver injury ranges from asymptomatic rise of liver enzymes to fulminant liver failure. The hepatitis E virus (HEV) has also been implicated in various extrahepatic manifestations such as acute pancreatitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), radiculopathy, autoimmune hemolysis, and Bell's palsy. We present an interesting case of acute viral hepatitis E presenting with cholestatic jaundice and extrahepatic manifestations.