ACUTE INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER

Abstract

For many years prior to this war infectious hepatitis was considered to be a relatively infrequent and unimportant disease. During the last four years, however, cases have been appearing in increasing numbers in both civilians¹ and military personnel in various parts of the world. This has afforded opportunity for the study of large groups of cases and has led to a reawakening of interest in the disease among both investigators and clinicians. Our own interest in this condition began in 1942 when two of us (M. H. B. and R. B. C.) participated² in an official investigation of the so-called "postvaccinal" hepatitis at Fort Custer, Michigan. At that time an extensive clinical and laboratory study was carried out on over 2,000 individuals who were recipients of yellow fever vaccine, 700 of whom were hospitalized with jaundice. This experience subsequently proved most valuable when we were given the opportunity