Etiological spectrum of viral hepatitis and prevalence of markers of hepatitis A and B virus infection in north India*

Hepatitis B virus was the causative agent in 33% of cases of acute hepatic failure and 45% of cases of subacute hepatic failure. [...] Except for the tribal population, hepatitis A virus infection in 14% of cases, hepatitis B which was from the state of Madhya Pradesh, the virus in 42%7o, and non-A non-B virus in 44%o (Table volunteers represented a highly selective upper middle 1). [...] Techniques Acute fulminant hepatitis The following techniques were used to study the Acute fulminant hepatitis was due to hepatitis A serological markers for hepatitis A and B virus in- virus infection in 12%o of cases, hepatitis B virus in fection: 33%7o, and non-A non-B virus in 5507o. [...] VIRAL HEPATITIS IN NORTH INDIA 71 In this study, the non-A non-B hepatitis virus was itis and a single epidemic of hepatitis in schoolchil- the most important agent in highly fatal conditions dren were due to HAV infection. [...] The viral etiology was established in 176 of to be a more frequent cause of hepatitis in adults than 188 patients with fulminant hepatitis reported by the in children in most developed countries (1, 20).