CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL FEATURES OF A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH SPORADIC NON-A, NON-B HEPATITIS

Twelve serologically proven cases of non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis were described. The clinical course was mild in 11 patients. One patient, however, presented in portal systemic encephalopathy and required steroid treatment. Nine of the 12 patients continued to exhibit raised transaminase (AST) activities 6 mo. or more after the onset of the acute hepatitis. In these, Ig concentrations were normal and autoantibodies were not present in significant titer. Four patients had evidence of previous hepatitis B infection, suggesting that the route of transmission of NANB might be similar to that of hepatitis B virus. A further 4 patients gave a history which suggests a possible parenteral mode of transmission. Liver biopsies were carried out both in the acute (8 cases) and chronic (6 cases) phases of the disease. Histological findings in liver biopsies covered the whole spectrum of acute and chronic hepatitis and 1 patient had cirrhosis. One notable feature in these biopsies was the presence of fatty changes.