Acute non A-E hepatitis in eastern Sicily: the natural history and the role of Hepatitis G Virus

B. Cacopardo, G. Nunnari, A. Berger*, H.W. Doerr*, R. Russo

Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania (Italy)
*Institute of Medical Virology, J.W. Goethe Universitat – Frankfurt A.M. (Germany)

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• Gastroenterology

Background. The etiology and the natural history of acute non A-E hepatitis is still undefined.

Methods. We examined the prevalence of HGV viraemia and the long-term outcome in 54 patients with non A-E acute hepatitis. Results. HGV-RNA was found in 19 out of 54 (35%) patients. There was no difference between HGV-RNA positives and negatives in terms of age sex, parenteral risk factors and alanine amino-transferase peak level. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were higher in the HGV-RNA positive group. During a 3-year follow up, 10 out of 54 (18.5%) patients progressed to chronic hepatitis and 4 out of 10 (40%) had an histologically advanced disease. None of the 19 subjects infected with HGV showed a chronic evolution of liver disease.

Conclusions. Our results confirm the limited role of HGV as the etiological agent of non A-E acute hepatitis. The great majority of non A-E hepatitis cases are yet of undetermined origin and unfortunately, are characterized by a high rate of progression to chronic active hepatitis.

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