Features of the course of manifest forms of acute hepatitis C

Aim. To identify clinical, epidemiological and laboratory-instrumental features of acute hepatitis C at the present stage according to the infectious hospital data.

Methods. The study included 111 patients with acute hepatitis C aged from 18 to 79 years who were hospitalized in Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital named after A.F. Agafonov in 2011 - I quarter of 2017. Acute hepatitis C was diagnosed in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Results. In the study group, females aged 21 to 40 years, non-working, predominantly living in Kazan with medical transmission of infection (34 %) prevailed. The disease was mild and moderately severe (71 %). The icteric form was observed in 94 % of patients, in 3.6 % - with a cholestatic component. When comparing laboratory parameters, markers of cytolysis and cholestasis differed significantly in patients depending on the severity (p<0.001). Changes in the gallbladder walls (an ultrasound marker of cholestasis) were revealed in 21.4 % of patients. On specific examination, the viral RNA was detected in 100 % of patients. Analysis of serological markers revealed predominance of antibodies to core and NS3 proteins, M class antibodies were detected only in half of the patients. Specific antibodies were absent (“dark diagnostic window”) in 3 % of patients with mild and 6 % of moderate form of the disease.

Conclusion. The feature of the course of acute viral hepatitis C was the predominance of moderate forms (71 %) with medical transmission of infection. Icteric forms of acute viral hepatitis C were diagnosed in 94 % of patients (in 3.6 % cases with the development of cholestatic component). PCR is a mandatory method of specific diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis C, and in case of a “dark diagnostic window” becomes the leading method.