OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the etiology of sporadic acute and fulminant viral hepatitis in two groups of patients 16 years apart. METHODS: Serologic diagnostic tests for hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, and cytomegalovirus infection were carried out in 276 patients during 1994-1997 (Group A) and 206 patients during 1978-1981 (Group B). RESULTS: Among children, hepatitis A virus was the major etiologic agent (81.6% in Group A and 51.4% in Group B), followed by hepatitis E virus (12.2%, 46.4%) and hepatitis B virus (5.4%, none). Among adults, hepatitis E virus was the main causative agent (42.4% in Group A and 71.2% in Group B) followed by HBV (28%, 25.5%) and hepatitis A virus (10.6%, 3.5%). Delta hepatitis was found only in Group A. No viral cause was found in 25% of patients in Group A and 13.5% patients in Group B. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis E virus is a major cause of sporadic acute and fulminant hepatitis. There has been an increase in hepatitis A in adults who developed fulminant hepatic failure. Our data points to the emergence of hepatitis A in adults and emergence of delta virus infection. Hepatitis C virus was unimportant in causing sporadic hepatitis.
OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the etiology of sporadic acute and fulminant viral hepatitis in two groups of patients 16 years apart. METHODS: Serologic diagnostic tests for hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, and cytomegalovirus infection were carried out in 276 patients during 1994-1997 (Group A) and 206 patients during 1978-1981 (Group B). RESULTS: Among children, hepatitis A virus was the major etiologic agent (81.6% in Group A and 51.4% in Group B), followed by hepatitis E virus (12.2%, 46.4%) and hepatitis B virus (5.4%, none). Among adults, hepatitis E virus was the main causative agent (42.4% in Group A and 71.2% in Group B) followed by HBV (28%, 25.5%) and hepatitis A virus (10.6%, 3.5%). Delta hepatitis was found only in Group A. No viral cause was found in 25% of patients in Group A and 13.5% patients in Group B. CONCLUSIONS:Hepatitis E virus is a major cause of sporadic acute and fulminant hepatitis. There has been an increase in hepatitis A in adults who developed fulminant hepatic failure. Our data points to the emergence of hepatitis A in adults and emergence of delta virus infection. Hepatitis C virus was unimportant in causing sporadic hepatitis.
Authors: Gemechu B Gerbi; Roxanne Williams; Barnabas Bakamutumaho; Stephen Liu; Robert Downing; Jan Drobeniuc; Saleem Kamili; Fujie Xu; Scott D Holmberg; Eyasu H Teshale Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2014-12-01 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Rosario Vivek; Uday G Zachariah; Jeyamani Ramachandran; Chundamannil E Eapen; Deva P Rajan; Gagandeep Kang Journal: Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg Date: 2013-06 Impact factor: 2.184
Authors: Manoj V Murhekar; M Ashok; K Kanagasabai; Vasna Joshua; M Ravi; R Sabarinathan; B K Kirubakaran; V Ramachandran; Vishal Shete; Nivedita Gupta; Sanjay M Mehendale Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2018-10 Impact factor: 2.345