Clinical Characteristics of Adult Patients with Acute Hepatitis A.
10.12701/yujm.2007.24.2.170
- Author:
Jong Ryul EUN
1
;
Heon Ju LEE
;
Tae Nyeun KIM
;
Byung Ik JANG
;
Hee Jung MOON
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea. hjlee@med.yu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hepatitis A virus;
Acute hepatitis A;
Clinical features;
Vaccination
- MeSH:
Abdominal Pain;
Adult*;
Anorexia;
Chills;
Daegu;
Diarrhea;
Epidemiology;
Fatigue;
Fever;
Friends;
Hepatitis A Antibodies;
Hepatitis A virus;
Hepatitis A*;
Hepatitis*;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin G;
Immunoglobulin M;
Incidence;
Length of Stay;
Liver Transplantation;
Medical Records;
Myalgia;
Nausea;
Pruritus;
Vaccination;
Vomiting;
Weight Loss
- From:Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine
2007;24(2):170-178
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The incidence of acute hepatitis A in adults has recently been increasing. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute hepatitis A in Daegu province over the past 10 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 55 patients (male/female: 34/21), who were diagnosed with acute hepatitis A by confirmation of the IgM anti-HAV between January 1998 and June 2007. RESULTS: The mean age was 29.7+/-10.3 years (range; 17-65 years). The incidence was most common between March and June (56.1%), in the third and fourth decades of life (78.2%) and 90.9% (50/55) of the patients were diagnosed from 2003 to present. The common symptoms included anorexia, nausea or vomiting (69.1%), fever and chills (49.1%), myalgia (47.3%), weight loss (47.3%), fatigue (40.0%), abdominal pain (36.4%), diarrhea (9.1%) and pruritus (5.5%). The mean duration of hospital stay was 8.6+/-3.4 days (range; 3-20 days). The route of transmission was identified in only 11 patients (20.0%); 7 patients (12.7%) traveled (abroad or domestic), 2 patients (3.6%) ingested raw food and 2 patients (3.6%) had friends with acute hepatitis A. Fifty four patients recovered without complication; one patient developed fulminant hepatitis and recovered after a liver transplantation. CONCLUSION: The incidence of acute hepatitis A in adults is increasing. Because of the cost of treatment and potential for serious disease, persons, under 40 are recommened to have hepatitis A vaccination and confirmation of IgG anti-HAV.
