Viral superinfection in previously unrecognized chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus with superimposed acute fulminant versus nonfulminant hepatitis.

The role of viral superinfection in hepatitis B surface antigen carriers with superimposed fulminant (n = 60) versus nonfulminant (n = 90) acute hepatitis was studied. The frequency of hepatitis A virus (HAV) (0 versus 2.2%), HCV (18.3 versus 21.1%), HDV (15.0 versus 7.8%), and HEV (1.7 versus 4.4%) infection showed no significant difference, while simultaneous HCV and HDV infection was significantly more prevalent in the former (8.3 versus 0%). Only 3. 6% of fulminant cases and 3.3% of nonfulminant controls were HGV RNA positive.