[Etiological structure of viral hepatitis in the area about one of the cities in Gorki Province].

The etiological structure of viral hepatitides (VH) in one of the towns of the Gorky region was studied with the use of specific methods for diagnosing hepatitis A (detection of IgM to hepatitis A virus) and hepatitis B (detection of HBsAg in the passive hemagglutination test). The study revealed that hepatitis A was the major nosological from in the structure of VH among children and adults in the area under survey, which was documented by the detection of IgM to hepatitis A virus. The form, second in importance among VH cases, was hepatitis B. The ratio of these two forms of VH was determined by the epidemiological situation in the area. The proportion of hepatitis B cases increased at the period between epidemics. Nondifferentiated hepatitis constituted 6.8% of all cases of sporadic hepatitis among adults. In 90% of cases clinical diagnosis coincided with the serological one.