The etiology of acute viral hepatitis in an endemic area of hepatitis A and B.
To understand the etiology of acute viral hepatitis in an endemic area of hepatitis A and B, serological markers of hepatitis were studied by radioimmunoassay in a consecutive series of 145 adult patients with biopsy-verified acute viral hepatitis. Seven (4.8%) were classified as hepatitis A, 92 (63.5%) as hepatitis B, and 46 (31.7%) as hepatitis non-A, non-B. Most persons with severe acute viral hepatitis were hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg)-positive, and hepatitis A appears to play a minor role if any. The evidence also implies that non-B hepatitis may have occurred intercurrently in chronic HBsAg carriers in this area.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013624:Taiwan
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M