Hepatitis virus non-A, non-B: the cause of a major public health problem in India.

Serological studies of hepatitis viruses A and B were carried out on 362 patients with acute viral hepatitis, 130 with fulminant hepatitis, and 56 with subacute hepatitis, and on samples of serum from 230 subjects during epidemics of viral hepatitis. A diagnosis of non-A, non-B viral hepatitis was made when serological tests showed that anti-HAV IgM and anti-HBc IgM were absent. Hepatitis virus non-A, non-B was the causative agent responsible for 58% of cases with acute viral hepatitis, 58% with fulminant hepatitis, 87% with subacute hepatitis, and 66% with epidemic hepatitis. A considerable proportion of patients (6-32%) were infected with both hepatitis virus non-A, non-B and hepatitis virus B. Viral hepatitis non-A, non-B is probably transmitted by infection of drinking-water and is the principal cause of hepatitis in India.