COMPARISON BETWEEN SPORADIC CYTOMEGALOVIRUS HEPATITIS AND EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS HEPATITIS IN PREVIOUSLY HEALTHY-ADULTS

In order to determine the factors responsible for the differentiation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) hepati tis, the clinical features and laboratory data of both types of hepati tis were retrospectively analyzed in 20 patients with CMV and 11 patie nts with EBV. While most signs and symptoms of CMV and EBV hepatitis s howed no significant differences, we found that cervical lymphadenopat hy was more common in EBV hepatitis than in CMV hepatitis (p<0.01). Fr equency of epigastralgia was more common in CMV hepatitis than EBV hep atitis (p<0.05). The percentage of peripheral blood monocytes in the w hite blood cell count in CMV hepatitis was greater than in EBV hepatit is (p<0.01). Low CD4 levels and high CD8 levels made CD4/CD8 low in pe ripheral lymphocytes of both groups of hepatitis. Ten EBV hepatitis pa tients received antibiotics in the early stage of the disease in which two (25%) developed severe erythematous rashes. Four CMV hepatitis pa tients received antibiotics and did not develop rashes. Identification of early clinical parameters capable of differentiating CMV hepatitis from EBV hepatitis is important.