[Comparison of clinical and laboratory characteristics of viral hepatitis A and E in Montenegro].
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis E has many similarities in with hepatitis A concerning clinical picture, route of transmission and nonexistence of chronicity. Comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with hepatitis A and E to estimate characteristics of these diseases.


METHODS
Total of 54 patients divided into two groups was investigated: 27 had hepatitis A, others had hepatitis E. Detailed history past, clinical examination, liver function tests and ultrasonography of the upper abdomen, were done in all patients. Aetiology of viral hepatitis was investigated serologically by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using commercial kits for following viruses: Hepatitis A-E viruses, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus.


RESULTS
Asymptomatic infections (29.6%) and clinical forms without jaundice (59.3%) were more frequent in patients with hepatitis E. Splenomegaly was found more frequent in patients with hepatitis A than in hepatitis E (66.7% vs. 33.3%). Patients with hepatitis E had significantly lower activity of aminotransferases than patients with hepatitis A. A significant increase of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase was found in patients with hepatitis E (mean value: 120 IU/L).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results are in concordance with other reports that hepatitis E virus infection is more common asymptomatic disease than hepatitis A. In addition, hepatocyte necrosis in hepatitis E is less extensive than in hepatitis A measured by the activity of aminotransferases. Contrary to that the value of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase is more increased in hepatitis E than in hepatitis A without exact explanation so far:


CONCLUSIONS
Viral hepatitis E and A have differences in some clinical features and laboratory parameters although both diseases principally have resolved without consequences after 6-8 weeks.
Klinicki centar, Klinika za infektivne bolesti, Podgorica. ivanas@bankerinter.net
Dragica
D
Terzić
Gordana
G
Mijović
Brankica
B
Dupanović
Nenad
N
Drasković
Neda
N
Svirtlih
D000328:Adult; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054548:Montenegro