title: Epidemiology and clinical features of sporadic hepatitis E as compared with hepatitis A.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the epidemiology and clinical features of two enterically transmitted hepatitis, namely hepatitis E and hepatitis A.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed clinical features and risk factors of 105 cases of hepatitis A and 24 cases of hepatitis E admitted in 2002. All patients were tested positive for IgM antibody against either hepatitis A virus (HAV) or hepatitis E virus (HEV), and all patients were tested to be negative for IgM anti-HBV or IgG anti-HCV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatitis A patients were significantly younger (median age = 27 yr) and most had a recent history of shellfish consumption, whereas hepatitis E patients were older (median age = 53 yr) and most had a recent travel history. Whereas hepatitis A was milder and recovery was uneventful, hepatitis E was more severe, associated with significant mortality and frequently complicated by protracted coagulopathy and cholestasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis E is a more severe disease entity as compared with hepatitis A and significant proportion of them are imported cases from an endemic area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Tai Nin
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Sik To
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Cyndy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Tak Keung
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Vincent King Sun
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Wilina
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Mun Hon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M