[Chronic hepatitis as sequela of acute viral hepatitis A and hepatitis non A - non B (author's transl)].

329 patients with acute ouvert viral hepatitis which occurred in the Hannover area 1975 were classified according to virological data. The proportions of type A and type non A - non B hepatitis were each approximately 20 percent of the total cases (n = 60). Viral hepatitis B was the most frequent type of viral hepatitis (n = 209). 174 individuals of the 329 hepatitis patients were reexamined serologically two years after the onset of the acute disease. 7 out of 105 patients with hepatitis B (6,7%) and 5 out of 40 patients with hepatitis non A - non B (12,5%) revealed a serological pattern compatible with chronic hepatitis. In contrast none of 29 patients with hepatitis A indicated chronic liver disease. The frequency of anti-HAV was also determined in 41 patients with HBsAg positive and HBsAg negative histologically proven chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. All patients were under 35 years of age. An equal proportion of anti-HAV was found in both groups. These results suggest that hepatitis A practically never results in chronic hepatitis, while hepatitis non A - non B can run a chronic course with a frequency similar to that of hepatitis B.