title: Viral Hepatitis A in 108 Adult Patients During an Eight-Year Observation at a Single Center in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis A is related to significant morbidity and occasional mortality. Based on data from the Polish National Institute of Hygiene, from 2000 to 2013 a mean of 213 hepatitis A cases were reported yearly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess selected data in adults hospitalized for symptomatic hepatitis A during an eight-year period in a single center in the Wielkopolska Region of Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the hepatitis A patients hospitalized in the center from 2005 to 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Data were extracted from the medical records of these individuals. The disease was confirmed by anti-HAV IgM testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 108 patients (71 men and 37 women), aged 18-65 years, were identified. All but 1 patient recovered (99.1%) and in 6 cases (5.6%) a relapse occurred. Risk factors for hepatitis A were identified in 56 patients (52%), with travel abroad being the most common one (32 patients); 19 cases were secondary and 5 patients were men who have sex with men. One hepatitis A outbreak was noted in the region during the study period. Acalculous cholecystitis was found in 33.3% of the patients who underwent abdominal ultrasound. This tended to be more common among older individuals (47.8% in patients over 40 vs. 22.6% in patients aged 18-40, p=0.0521). Patients with this finding had significantly higher mean peak ALT in comparison to those with no gallbladder abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although hepatitis A in adults is typically a benign, self-limited disease, it can occasionally have a fatal course. In a significant proportion of patients with an evident risk factor for hepatitis A, the possibility of active prophylaxis was not used. Hepatitis A should be regarded as a sexually transmitted infection. Acalculous cholecystitis is a frequent finding among adults with symptomatic hepatitis A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jozef Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bura
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Statistics, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Jozef Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chojnicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jozef Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Arleta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowala-Piaskowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jozef Strus Multidisciplinary Municipal Hospital, Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mozer-Lisewska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M