Original Contribution
The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2006) 101, 292–296; doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00416.x
Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Sporadic Hepatitis E as Compared with Hepatitis A
Tai Nin Chau MBBS, MRCP1, Sik To Lai FRCP5, Cyndy Tse MBBS, MRCPath2, Tak Keung Ng MBBS, FRCPath2, Vincent King Sun Leung FRCP1, Wilina Lim FRCPath4 and Mun Hon Ng PhD3
- 1Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
- 2Department of Microbiology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
- 3Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- 4Government Virus Unit, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- 5Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
Correspondence: Tai Nin Chau, MBBS, MRCP, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, 130 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Received 24 June 2005; Accepted 10 October 2004.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
To compare the epidemiology and clinical features of two enterically transmitted hepatitis, namely hepatitis E and hepatitis A.
METHODS:
We analyzed clinical features and risk factors of 105 cases of hepatitis A and 24 cases of hepatitis E admitted in 2002. All patients were tested positive for IgM antibody against either hepatitis A virus (HAV) or hepatitis E virus (HEV), and all patients were tested to be negative for IgM anti-HBV or IgG anti-HCV.
RESULTS:
Hepatitis A patients were significantly younger (median age = 27 yr) and most had a recent history of shellfish consumption, whereas hepatitis E patients were older (median age = 53 yr) and most had a recent travel history. Whereas hepatitis A was milder and recovery was uneventful, hepatitis E was more severe, associated with significant mortality and frequently complicated by protracted coagulopathy and cholestasis.
CONCLUSIONS:
Hepatitis E is a more severe disease entity as compared with hepatitis A and significant proportion of them are imported cases from an endemic area.
