BIOCHEMICAL FEATURES of IRAQI PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS E VIRUS COMPARED WITH THOSE INFECTED WITHHEPATITIS A VIRUS

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the effect of two types of viral hepatitis A and E (HAV and HEV) on liver functions in Iraqi individuals by the measurement of biochemical changes associated with hepatitis.The study performed on 58 HEV and 66 HAV infected patients compared with 28 healthy subjects. The measured biochemical tests include total serum bilirubin, serum transminases (ALT and AST) alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT).The study showed that adolescent and young adults (17-29) years, were mostly affected by HEV while children (5-12) years were frequently affected by HAV. The severity of liver damage in HEV patients was higher than HAV patients as a result of high serum transaminase levels.Patients with HEV were associated with cholestasis due to high serum level of ALP and GGT compared to HAV patients.