Different serotypes and clinical course of acute viral hepatitis in pregnancy

ABSTRACT

Fifty five pregnant and 85 non-pregnant women with acute viral hepatitis were studied in order to find out the relative frequency of each viral serotype in the causation of acute viral hepatitis and to study the clinical course of viral hepatitis during pregnancy in our locality. There was no significant difference in the relative frequencies of the different serotypes between pregnant and non-pregnant patients. Hepatitis B viral infection was the most frequent one, followed by non-A non-B, delta agent, co-infection with A and B viral agents, and lastly type A hepatitis. There was no relation between the clinical course and any of the different serotypes of HBV infection. The percentage of fulminant cases was significantly more in pregnant than in non-pregnant cases [12.7%, 2.4% respectively, P < 0.01]. The clinical course was not different in the two groups except in fulminant cases. Fatal outcome was significantly more in pregnant with fulminant course. On the other hand, the maternal mortality was significantly more in pregnant with fulminant course. On the other hand, the maternal mortality was significantly more in fulminant in patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis. Follow up after 6 months showed that the percentage of patients who had persistent jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal liver function tests were more in non-pregnant patients and patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis. The percentage of persistence of HBsAg, after 6 months was more in pregnant than in non-pregnant patients [19.7% and 6.3 respectively]. Routine screening for HBV markers and possible vacclination of susceptible women is recommended in our area