Acute viral hepatitis: aetiology and evolution. Issue 2 (February 1989)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chow, C B; Lau, T T; Leung, N K; Chang, W K
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 64:Issue 2(1989)
• Page Start: 211
• Page End: 213
• Publication Date: 1989-02
• Subjects: Children -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.64.2.211
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-9888

Abstract

Abstract : Over a period of three and a half years, 348 consecutive children with acute hepatitis were studied. There were 205 boys and 143 girls aged from 3 months to 12 years old. The most common type was hepatitis A, of which there were 281 cases, 81% of the total; there were 41 in the under 4 years old age group (63% of that group), 99 in the 5-8 year old age group (87% of that group) and 141 in the 8-12 year old age group (83% of that group). Hepatitis B occurred in 29 (8% of the total), and non-A, non-B hepatitis occurred in 35 (10%). All the children with hepatitis A and all but one with hepatitis B recovered. There were three deaths from fulminant hepatitis, one in the group with hepatitis B and two with non-A, non-B. Clearance of the hepatitis B surface antigen was fast, by six months 26 patients having cleared the antigen and 21 (77%) being positive for hepatitis B surface antibody. One patient became a carrier of hepatitis B surface antigen.