Acute hepatitis caused by virus A, E and non A-E in Chilean adults

Background: Sanitary and socioeconomic changes and the identification of ne w causative virus have changed the epidemiology of hepatitis in Chile. Aim: To study the natural history of acute hepatitis caused by virus A, E and n on A-E in Chilean adults. Patients and methods: A special study protocol wa s followed for patients with a clinical picture of acute hepatitis. Anti HA V IgM, anti HBc IgM, anti HEV IgG and IgM and Anti HCV antibodies were dete rmined by ELISA. Results: Fifty nine patients (30 male), aged 15 to 58 yeat s old were studied. Eighty nine percent had jaundice and 50 to 70% had mala ise and abdominal pain. Virus A was positive in 80%, virus E in 70%. In 14% of patients, all viral markers were negative. The evolution was typical in 78%, biphasic in 14% and cholestatic in 5%. One patient had a prolonged an d one a fulminant course. Mean ALT was 1148 U/l and mean total bilirubin wa s 5.5 mg/dl. Seventy three percent of cases occurred during early winter an d spring and 27% during summer and early autumn. Conclusions: The main etio logy of acute viral hepatitis in Chile is virus A and most cases occur duri ng the rainy season. Clinical features of hepatitis Iron A-E are similar to enteral transmission forms.