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Non‐A, non‐B hepatitis in Palermo, Western Sicily
Author(s) -
Intonazzo V.,
La Rosa G.,
Lanza A.,
Famà B.,
Romano N.,
Farinella E.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890120404
Subject(s) - medicine , jaundice , hepatitis a , viral hepatitis , hepatitis , virology , serology , hepatitis d , hepatitis b , viral disease , immunology , hepatitis b virus , virus , etiology , acute hepatitis , gastroenterology , antibody , hbsag
Aetiological studies were carried out on 407 cases of acute viral hepatitis during two consecutive years in two general hospitals in Palermo, Sicily. Two hundred ninety‐seven showed serological evidence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and 73 of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Of the remaining 37, two had a serologically diagnosed cytomegalovirus hepatitis, while 35 were classified as non‐A, non‐B (NANB) hepatitis. The frequency of the different major agents of acute viral hepatitis was notably influenced by the age of the patients, HAV being prevalent in children and HBV and NANB in adults. About one‐fourth of the adult cases of sporadic, acute viral hepatitis were attributed to NANB virus(es). The acute disease appeared less severe than B hepatitis, as indicated by the duration of jaundice, peak serum bilirubin, and aminotransferase levels. No history of drug addiction or of parenteral exposure to blood or blood products was obtained from the presumed NANB hepatitis patients.