Abstract
A cross-sectional, longitudinal study was undertaken on a group of acute non-A, non-B hepatitis patients, as well as on a control group of hepatitis B patients, in order to assess both the prevalence of the most important factors favoring infection, and the relevance of these factors in promoting evolution towards chronic liver disease. Exposures to unknown risk factors were present in 47.4% of acute non-A, non-B infections, followed by blood transfusions (17.9%), sporadic exposures (17.9%) and drug addiction (16.6%). Unknown as well as sporadic exposures showed a greater prevalence in control population if compared to non-A, non-B cases, while drug addiction was equally represented in the two groups, and blood transfusion nearly absent from control group. The risk of evolution to chronic liver disease was about 13 times greater in non-A, non-B group than in controls, with the greatest risk for drug addicts and the lowest for patients with unknown exposures. Among patients with known exposures, the lowest risk of chronic hepatitis was observed in post-transfusion and in sporadic cases, while the greatest was observed in drug addicts.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AackR.D. and KalmR.A. (1980): Post-transfusion hepatitis: current perspectives. - Ann. Intern. Med., 92: 539–546.
AlterM.J., GeretyR.J., SmallwoodL.A., SamplinerR.E., TaborE., DeinhardtF., FrosnerG. and MatanoskiG.M. (1982): Sporadic Non-A, Non-B hepatitis; frequency and epidemiology in an urban U.S. population. - J. Infect. Dis., 145: 886–893.
DenstagJ.L. (1983): Non-A, Non-B hepatitis. I. Recognition, epidemiology and clinical features. -Gastroenterology, 185: 439–462.
FeinstoneS.M. and PurcellR.H. (1978): Non-A, Non-B hepatitis. - J. Amer. Med. Ass., 240: 1384–1385.
KhurooM.S. (1980): Study of an epidemic of Non-A, Non-B hepatitis: possibility of another human hepatitis virus distinct from post-transfusion Non-A, Non-B type. - Amer. J. Med., 68: 818–824.
KrygerP., AldershvilleJ., ChristoffersenP. (1980): Acute Non-A, Non-B hepatitis - clinical, epidemiological and histological characteristics. - Scand. J. Infect. Dis., 12: 165–169.
LeverA.M.L., BrownD., WebsterA.D.B. and ThomasH.C. (1984): Non-A, Non-B hepatitis occurring in agammaglobulinemic patients after intravenous immunoglobulin. - Lancet, II: 1062–1064.
NagataA., KiyosawaK., KoikeY. and MiuraM. (1985): Epidemiology of sporadic acute Non-A, Non-B hepatitis in Japan: a comparison with hepatitis A and B. - Amer. J. Gastroenterol., 80: 298–302.
NorkransG., FosnerG. and HermodssonS. (1979): Clinical, epidemiological and prognostic aspects of hepatitis Non-A, Non-B - a comparison with hepatitis A and B. - Scand. J. Infect. Dis., 11: 259–264.
RealdiG., AlbertiA., RuggeM., RigoliA.M., TremoladaF., SchivazappaL. and RuolA. (1982): Longterm follow-up of acute and chronic Non-A, Non,B post-transfusion hepatitis: evidence of progression to liver cirrhosis. - Gut, 23: 270–275.
ShimizuY.K., FeinstoneS.M., PurcellR.H., AlterH.J. and LondonW.T. (1979): Non-A, Non-B hepatitis: ultrastructural evidence for two agents in experimentally infected chimpanzees. - Science, 205: 197–200.
ShoreyJ. (1985): Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: the current status of Non-A, Non-B viral hepatitis. - Amer. J. Med. Sci., 289: 251–261.
TatedaA., KikuchiK., NumazakiY., ShirachiR. and IshidaN. (1979): Non-B hepatitis in Japanese recipients of blood transfusions: clinical and serologic studies after the introduction of laboratory screening of donor blood for hepatitis B surface antigen. - J. Infect. Dis., 139: 511–518.
TongM.J., ThursbyM., RakelaJ., McPeakC., EdwardsV.M. and MosleyJ.W. (1981): Studies on the maternal-infant transmission of the viruses which cause acute hepatitis. - Gastroenterology, 80: 999–1004.
WongD.G., PurcellR.H., SreeminasanM.A., PrasadS.R. and PavriK.M. (1980): Epidemic and endemic hepatitis in India: evidence for a Non-A, Non-B hepatitis virus aetiology. - Lancet, II: 876–879.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Corresponding author.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Biglino, A., Depaoli, M., Cariti, G. et al. Non-A, Non-B hepatitis; Factors involved in progression to chronicity. Eur J Epidemiol 4, 246–250 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144761
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144761