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

ABSTRACT

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