A Fgllow-up Study of Viral Hepatitis Part 1. Ten years follow-up study of infectious hepatitis in two epidemic areas

The results of the prognostic survey were given of 79 cases of infectious hepatitis sampled in Kumayama-cho, Akaiwa-gun, Okayama Prefecture where the massive outbreak of the typical severe form occured, and of 82 cases in the Kagato area of Bizen-cho, Wake-gun, Okayama Prefecture where the mild abortive form was mostly seen during the epidemic. In the both areas the epidemics broke out 10 years prior to the author's survey. 1) In Kumayama-cho 65 cases were chosen for a set of liver function tests and the medical examination. Only 41.5% had attained the good health; 24.6% retained chronic hepatitis; 27.7% were diagnosed to be the so-called posthepatitis syndrome; and 6.2% showed hyperbilirubinemia. 2) In the Kagato area 70 cases were checked in the same manner. The results were as follows; recovery in 42.8% ; chronic hepatitis in 28.5% ; posthepatitis syndrome in 27.1% ; hyperbilirubinemia in 1.6% , 3) Nine cases in Kumayama-cho and 6 in the Kagato area were reported dead after sustaining infectious hepatitis. However, excluding a case of hepatic insufficiency, immediate cause of death were devoid of cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. 4) Among the 1 year, 5 years and 10 years follow-np study, a reduction of the incidence of chronic hepatitis was observed in 5 years study after the epidemics. The correlation between the incidence of chronic hepatitis and the duration of immunity to infectious hepatitis was discussed in connection with the results, 5) The female and elderly patients had a predilection for chronic hepatitis. 6) At the rate of 50.4% the patients were unaware of their illness, whereas the others had mostly complaints of general malaise and intolerance to fatty meals. Only 4% complained prolonged impaired appetite. 7) Palpable hepatomegaly was observed at the rate of 50.7% in Kumayama-cho, while 55.7% in the area of Kagato did. The incidence of hepatomegaly was reported approximately at the same rate in the acute phase of the illness. Splenomegaly subsided in size on most of the patients later in chronic phase. 8) The incidence of cirrhosis after infectious hepatitis was observed in 3.8% in Kumayama-cho and in 3.7% in the Kagato area