RESUMO
Viral etiology was investigated in 133 Saudi patients with acute hepatitis seen in King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh. Between July 1993-May 1994. Out of the 133 patients. 51[38.3%] were diagnosed as having acute hepatitis due to hepatitis A virus [HAV]. Hepatitis C virus [HCV] was the second most common etiological agent [20.3%]. There were 35 patients with acute hepatitis [26.3%] in whom no viral marker for HAV, HBV, HCV, CMV or Epstein-Barr virus [EBV] was detected. Among the 51 patients with acute hepatitis due to HAV, the majority [882%] were children [1-12 years] and only 6[11.8%] were adults [15-24years]. This is in contrast to patients with HCV or HBV infection where the majority were adults: 74.1% and 82.3% respectively. The diagnosis of acute hepatitis due to HAV in Saudi adults, an observation not seen earlier, indicated a change in the epidemiological pattern of HAV infection in the Saudi population. This change was confirmed by the significant reduction in the prevalence of anti-HAV in 630 Saudi subjects [1-30 years old] [50.2%] investigated in 1994 compared to that of587 subjects of the same age group investigated in 1986[76.5%] [P < 0.005]. In the light of these results, a nation-wide survey is recommended to confirm this pattern in other areas. It is important that high-risk Saudi groups be identified and evaluated for their anti-HAV status as these groups are candidates for HAV vaccination