RELATIVE RISK OF HEPATITIS-A AND HEPATITIS-E AMONG FOREIGNERS IN NEPAL - SHORT REPORT

Sera from two groups of patients in Nepal with acute hepatitis were ex amined for the presence of antibodies to the hepatitis A, B, C, and E viruses to determine the etiology of viral hepatitis. The first group consisted of 43 consecutive acute hepatitis patients presenting at a c linic for tourists and foreign residents in Kathmandu from January 198 7 to June 1988. The other group consisted of 95 consecutive acute hepa titis patients admitted during the same period at a hospital used pred ominantly by adult Nepalese residents of Kathmandu. Hepatitis A was di agnosed in 39 (91%) of the foreign patients and in one of the 95 Nepal ese patients, whereas hepatitis E was diagnosed in four of the 43 fore ign patients and in 90 (95%) of the Nepalese patients. No cases of hep atitis B or C were identified in either group, nor were any cases of d ual infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus ( HEV) identified. These results suggest that in the Kathmandu Valley, h epatitis A is the predominant form of hepatitis among foreigners, hepa titis E is the predominant form of hepatitis among adult Nepalese, and both HAV and HEV are endemic to the Kathmandu Valley.