Tsega E
Memorial University, Department of Internal Medicine, Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre, 50 Union St., Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, Canada, A2A 2E1.
Ethiop Med J. 2000 Apr;38(2):131-41.
There are a large number of viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr, Herpes simplex, mumps, varicella, yellow fever, etc., known to cause inflammatory disease of the liver, but the term viral hepatitis generally refers to the five well described hepatotropic viruses which are divided into enteral and parenteral groups based on their mode of transmission. Hepatitis A and E viruses are enterically transmitted by the faecal-oral route and do not exist in a chronic carrier state. Hepatitis B, C and D viruses are parenterally transmitted, occur both in the acute and chronic forms, and, when they persist in a chronic carrier state, they serve as a reservoir for infection and give rise to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis G virus has recently been described but its significance in the causation of human liver disease is yet to be established. Also, the most recently described TT virus in patients with post-transfusion hepatitis awaits further studies. Acute sporadic and epidemic viral hepatitis are common world-wide, mostly in the developing countries, including Ethiopia, and account for high morbidity and mortality, especially among pregnant women. Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus is a significant problem on a global scale, affecting over 300 million people. Hepatitis C virus infection is probably the most common cause of chronic viral hepatitis, end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this article will review and highlight the relevant epidemiological, preventive and therapeutic aspects of viral hepatitis with emphasis on new developments and recent data obtained from Ethiopian studies.
已知有大量病毒，如巨细胞病毒、EB病毒、单纯疱疹病毒、腮腺炎病毒、水痘病毒、黄热病病毒等，可引起肝脏炎症性疾病，但病毒性肝炎一词通常指的是五种已被充分描述的嗜肝病毒，它们根据传播方式分为肠道传播组和非肠道传播组。甲型和戊型肝炎病毒通过粪-口途径经肠道传播，不存在慢性携带状态。乙型、丙型和丁型肝炎病毒通过非肠道传播，有急性和慢性两种形式，当它们持续处于慢性携带状态时，会成为感染源，引发慢性肝炎、肝硬化和肝细胞癌。庚型肝炎病毒最近已被描述，但其在人类肝脏疾病病因中的意义尚待确定。此外，最近在输血后肝炎患者中发现的TT病毒也有待进一步研究。急性散发性和流行性病毒性肝炎在全球范围内都很常见，主要发生在包括埃塞俄比亚在内的发展中国家，发病率和死亡率都很高，尤其是在孕妇中。慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染是一个全球性的重大问题，影响着超过3亿人。丙型肝炎病毒感染可能是世界上慢性病毒性肝炎、终末期肝病和肝细胞癌的最常见病因，尤其是在包括埃塞俄比亚在内的撒哈拉以南非洲地区。因此，本文将回顾并重点介绍病毒性肝炎的相关流行病学、预防和治疗方面，重点关注新进展以及从埃塞俄比亚研究中获得的最新数据。
