Prevalence of hepatitis B or C virus infection in patients with fulminant viral hepatitis. An analysis using polymerase chain reaction.
METHODS
The cause of fulminant hepatitis is still not fully understood. We studied 23 patients with fulminant hepatitis, using polymerase chain reaction to detect hepatitis virus genomes. Tests for HBsAg and IgM anti-HAV and IgM anti-HBc were performed in all patients. Serum samples were stored at -70 degrees C for later analysis of anti-HCV and hepatitis virus genomes such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis D virus.


RESULTS
Of 23 patients, 17 (74%) had HBV-DNA and two (9%) had HCV-RNA. No patient was positive for both viruses or positive for HDV-RNA. Serological tests indicated that two patients, negative for HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA, were positive for IgM anti-HAV. In contrast, 8 of 17 (47%) HBV-DNA positive patients were negative for both IgM anti-HBc and HBsAg in conjunction with low levels of viremia. Four patients were positive for anti-HCV, but only one was positive for HCV-RNA. One patient, positive for HCV-RNA, was negative for anti-HCV.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that analysis of hepatitis virus genomes using polymerase chain reaction allows accurate identification of the virus causing fulminant hepatitis.
Inokuchi
K
K
First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
Nakata
K
K
Hamasaki
K
K
Daikoku
M
M
Nakao
K
K
Kato
Y
Y
Yatsuhashi
H
H
Koga
M
M
Yano
M
M
Nagataki
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; C034477:RNA primers; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012313:RNA