Etiological study on patients with seronegative viral hepatitis
Zhuang, H.; Li, K.; Zhu, W.; Tang, R.; Li, S.; Zhai, Q.; Jiang, J.; Liu, J.; Yao, Z.
Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi 39(12): 801-804
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0578-1426 PMID: 11798538 Document Number: 524703
To investigate the etiology of hepatitis patients who were seronegative for viral hepatitis A through E. By using PCR, HBV DNA, HCV RNA, HEV RNA and HGV RNA were detected in sera of 104 patients with seronegative viral hepatitis. The partial nucleotide sequences of 2 HCV and 17 HEV isolates were analysed by direct sequencing. Among the 104 patients with seronegative viral hepatitis, the positive rates of HBV DNA, HCV RNA, HEV RNA and HGV RNA were 29.8%, 3.8%, 22.1% and 7.7%, respectively, with only 38 cases (36.6%) negative for the genome of all known hepatitis viruses. In addition to serological tests, the polymerase chain reaction of all known hepatitis viruses should be used to make the diagnosis of non-A - E hepatitis.