Some remarks on acute viral hepatitis features.

1086 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) including both children and adults were followed up clinically and biologically for 1-1.6 years after onset. Length of hospitalization and time intervals until return of normal laboratory test values were correlated with the presence of HB8Ag. The evolution of HB8Ag positive AVH was found to be more severe and protracted, especially in the case of HB8Ag persistence. The data point to the fact that ambulatory medical surveyance is recommendable in AVH, necessary in AVH type B and compulsory in the case of HB8Ag persistence.