Current concepts of the role of the thymol test in the laboratory diagnosis of viral hepatitis A
Khokhlov, D.T.; Malyshev, V.V.; Ogarkov, P.I.
Laboratornoe Delo 1990(1): 25-27
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6748 PMID: 1691332 Document Number: 359838
Current notions on the role of the thymol test (TT) in the diagnosis of viral hepatitis A are discussed. Changes in TT results over the course of the disease are presented, starting from the incubation period up to the second-third week; these values are compared to those of hepatitis A specific markers. The earliest TT shifts in hepatitis A are detectable already 15-18 days before the first clinical manifestations, when this parameter surpasses the upper threshold of the range of normal values. The incubation period TT values are 6.9-8.4 U S-H, those during the 3 weeks of the acute period are 9.1-9.7 U S-H. This test earlier reacts to liver inflammation than alanine aminotransferase (a hepatic enzyme) measurement, which fact recommends TT for active early detection of hepatitis A patients in epidemic foci in collective bodies. One more TT advantage over the detection of hepatitis A specific markers in epidemic foci is that it permits the diagnosis of hepatitis whatever its etiology.