The aetiology of acute hepatitis in Zimbabwe

The cause of acute viral hepatitis in 141 patients admitted to both Infectious Diseases Hospitals in Harare (Zimbabwe) was hepatitis A in 44, hepatitis B in 86 and hepatitis Non-A Non-B in 11. The wide distribution of hepatitis A and B viruses and early exposure to both in Zimbabwe are shown by the high positivity rate for anti-HAV antibody in patients under 10 years old (87·5%) and for anti-HBs antibody in patients over 20 (60%). Among the 86 hepatitis B cases, e and delta systems were also investigated: 66 patients (76·5%) were HBeAg positive, six (7%) anti-HBe positive and 14 (16·5%) negative for both; only one was anti-delta positive. Two cases of fulminant liver failure (both occurring in HBsAg and anti-HBc IgM positive, but delta-markers negative patients) and five cases of hepatoma (only one of whom was negative for all HBV markers) are described.