[Prognosis of acute viral hepatitis B (author's transl)].

Case reports of patients with acute viral hepatitis of the Medical Department of the Innsbruck University Medical School were evaluated in regard to prognosis. The following results were obtained: 1. Hepatitis B in the acute phase runs a severe course in more cases than non B hepatitis. 2. Disappearance of the HBs-antigen from the serum seems to be a reliable indicator for complete recovery; persistence of the antigen on the other hand indicates a chronic clinical course of the disease. 3. A difference in prognosis as to a chronic course of acute hepatitis B and non B hepatitis could not be found. Transition to a chronic stage seems to occur in about 3-15% of both forms of the disease together.