Chronic liver disease after acute non-A, non-B viral hepatitis.

We have analyzed the frequency of chronicity and its distribution according to epidemiologic background following acute non-A, non-B hepatitis. Eighteen of 45 cases (40%) developed chronic liver disease. The incidence of chronicity was significantly higher following transfusion and among drug addicts (54% and 58%) than among patients without obvious source of infection (20%). Chronic active hepatitis developed in 4 of 13 patients (31%) with posttransfusion hepatitis. This lesion was not observed among the addicts or the patients without obvious source for the acute hepatitis.