[Diagnosis of jaundices in tropical practice (author's transl)]

Diagnosis of jaundices in tropical medicine complies with the same rules as in Europe. Some etiologies occur more frequently than in Europe; others, specific to tropical areas require peculiar investigations. Most jaundices observed overseas are hemolytic or hepatitic. Their diagnosis is generally easy. However, chronic viral hepatitis, a frequent infection, requires liver needle-biopsy for a valid diagnosis. The diagnosis of cholestatic jaundice must be conducted in a systematic fashion: if abdominal echotomography is not available, laparoscopy with or without liver needle-biopsy and percutaneous lateral transhepatic cholangiography (OKU-DA's technique) are easily performed in tropical countries and give a certain diagnosis.