Serodiagnosis was done in 93 patients admitted with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) to three teaching hospitals in Lahore. Five (5.4%) had hepatitis A, 39 (41.9%) hepatitis B (2 of these were anti delta positive) [see erratum notice], 44 (47.3%) probable hepatitis E and 3(3.2%) had HAV/HBV co-infection. Antibody to hepatitis C (anti HCV) was detected in 6 patients (6.4%); 2 with HBV and 4 with probable HEV infection. Excluding 39 patients with hepatitis B and 3 with HBV as part of co-infection, there was evidence of previous HBV infection in 39 out of the remaining 51 patients. In the subset of 6 children, 3 had hepatitis A and 3 hepatitis E. Of these, 5 had evidence of previous exposure to HBV and one was also positive for anti HCV. Our results are suggestive of a strong background of HBV infection raising concern about its chronic sequelae in the community.