[Epidemiology and prognosis of non-A, non-B hepatitis (author's transl)].

The frequency of non-A, non-B hepatitis (n = 325) was determined among all cases (n = 1368) of acute viral hepatitis observed in the Hannover are abetwen 1975 and 1978. Hepatitis A was excluded by demonstration of anti-HAV-IgM, hepatitis B by demonstration of HBs antigen or an isolated occurrence of anti-HBc at the beginning of the disease. Non-A, non-B hepatitis occurred predominantly in adults and showed no seasonal variability. As a consequence of results of followup investigations in 174 hepatitis patients 2 years after the onset of the disease it can be assumed that non-A, non-B hepatitis tends to lead to chronic courses more frequently than hepatitis B.