The pattern of viral markers in acute sporadic hepatitis in 329 children and those in 334 healthy school children from North West India were studied. Hepatitis A was found to be the commonest infection in sporadic cases (78 per cent). Of these, 86 per cent were under 10 years and 50 per cent less than 5 years of age. Hepatitis B was positive in 8 per cent, non-A non-B in 13 per cent, A as well as B in 1 per cent, and none had Delta virus infection. Viral markers in healthy school children showed anti-HAV IgG positivity in 96 and 85 per cent in those belonging to low and high socio-economic groups, respectively, indicating past infection. HBsAg was positive in 1 per cent of cases. Viral hepatitis is an important public health problem in children and warrants active immunization.