Microbiological diagnostics of viral hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is an infection that primarily affects the liver but may also have systemic clinical manifestations. The vast majority of viral hepatitis are caused by one of five hepatotropic viruses: hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D (delta) virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV) (Table I) [1]. HBV, HCV, and HDV also cause chronic hepatitis, whereas HAV does not. HEV causes acute hepatitis in normal hosts but can cause protracted and chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed patients. Keywords: Microbiologic diagnosis, Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Hepatitis C