[Rapid development of liver cirrhosis following acute non-A, non-B hepatitis]

Four cases of shortly developed liver cirrhosis as consequence of non-A-non-B-hepatitis are described. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed by liver histology at days 254, 298, 651 and 891 after acute infection, respectively. For the first time a normal liver histology was documented in one case immediately before infection together with follow up biopsies of chronic hepatitis up to liver cirrhosis (day 891) after acute posttransfusion non-A-non-B-hepatitis. Further 20 cases with liver cirrhosis are described in the literature having developed between 90 and 2190 days after acute non-A-non-B-hepatitis. It is concluded that non-A-non-B-hepatitis has to be concerned as a serious etiological factor of liver cirrhosis developing shortly after acute infection.