four-year study on hepatotropic viruses causing acute viral hepatitis in Muscat

One hundred seventy five clinically suspected cases of acute viral hepatitis from April 1999 to March 2003 were subjected to liver function tests and serological evidence of all hepatotropic viruses [A, B, C, D, E]. One hundred and forty nine patients [85%] had hyperbilirubinemia and 174 patients [99.4%] had elevated Alanine aminotransferase [ALT]. Fifty five percent of the patients had acute viral A hepatitis, 13.7% had acute viral B hepatitis, and 9% had acute viral C hepatitis. None of the hepatitis B patients had viral D hepatitis. Acute viral E hepatitis was observed in 6.3% of patients. None of the viral markers could be detected in 16% of patients

Acute viral E hepatitis in Muscat

Patient demographics,-clinical presentation, liver function tests and serological confirmatory investigations of 4 cases of acute viral E hepatitis seen in Muscat are detailed. In all 4 patients, the request for antibodies to Hepatitis E Virus [HEV] was not from clinicians but from Al Nahdha Laboratory. The need to entertain the diagnosis of Hepatitis E and ask for antibodies to HEV in all clinically and biochemically [liver function tests] suggestive cases of acute viral hepatitis, especially in patients with a history of recent travel abroad to endemic areas, is stressed. Such an approach would possibly unearth more cases of acute viral E hepatitis in the country. Occurrence of hepatitis E in Muscat could be of public health importance and needs to be investigated: further in other regions of the Sultanate of Oman