Abstract:Objective To explore the etiology and clinical features of hepatitis caused by human non-hepatotropic viruses. Methods This clinical research included 176 cases of viral hepatitis caused by non-hepatotropic viruses. Conventional method was used to detect hepatitis A to E markers in 112 cases to exclude hepatotropic virus infection. IgM and IgG antibodies and autoantibodies (mitochondrial antibody and antinuclear antibody) against Herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EB), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Coxsackie virus (CoxV) and other viruses were detected. The patients were followed up for 6 months. Their clinical symptoms and signs, and liver function indexes were compared with those of the patients with acute viral hepatitis during the same period. Results The most common non-hepatotropic pathogen for viral hepatitis was Cytomegalovirus(34.7%), followed by Epstein-Barr virus and Rotavirus (24.4% and 9.6%). The incidences of fatigue, nausea, anorexia, hepatomegaly and jaundice were significantly lower while the incidences of splenomegaly and lymph node enlargement were significantly higher in the patients with non-hepatotropic virus hepatitis than in the patients with acute viral hepatitis during the same period (P < 0.01). ALT, AST and TBIL levels in the patients with non-hepatotropic virus hepatitis were significantly lower than those in the patients with acute viral hepatitis (P < 0.01); while albumin and prothrombin time had no statisti cally significant differences between them (P > 0.05). ALT, AST and TBIL in the patients with single non-hepato-tropic virus infection were significantly lower than those in the patients with compound infection (P < 0.01). Conclusions CMV and EB virus are common pathogens of hepatitis caused by non-hepatotropic viruses. The clinical manifestation is acute liver damage which is lighter than that of acute viral hepatitis and lighter in single infection than in compound infection. The prognosis of non-hepatotropic virus hepatitis is good.