Aetiology of acute hepatitis in Malaysia

Icteric patients with clinical and biochemical evidence of liver disease, admitted into various hospitals in Malaysia, were investigated to determine the cause of their infection. Of these patients, 11.0% (16/145) were found positive for IgM anti-HAV (EIA), 4.1% (6/145) for IgM anti-HBc (EIA), 1.0% (1/102) for IgM anti-CMV (ELISA), 17.2% (16/64) for rising titres of leptospiral agglutinin, and none for heterophile antibody of EBV. Hepatitis NANB accounted for 67.9% of cases. The mean serum transaminases (ALT and AST) values in patients with hepatitis A and B were higher (more than 500IU) than in patients with leptospirosis or non-A, non-B hepatitis, whereas serum bilirubin levels were higher in patients with hepatitis A and leptospirosis than in patients with hepatitis B.