The development of hepatitis C antibody shortly after acute icteric non-A non-B hepatitis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between the development of hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) and the clinical symptoms in acute hepatitis C. Design: Retrogpective analysis ot sera from patients with acute non-A non-B hepatitis. Setting and patients: Patients admitted to Fairfield Hospital with the diagnosis of acute non-A non-B hepatitis between 1979 and 1989. Inclusion criteria included a typical clinical illness, accompanied by an alanine aminotransferase level of more than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal (normal, ≤40 U/L) and negative serological test results for acute hepatitis A and B. Main outcome measure: Time to develop anti-HCV after the onset of symptoms in patients with..