A rare presentation of hepatitis a infection with extrahepatic manifestations

Hepatitis A has a variety of associated extrahepatic manifestations that clinicians should be aware of for early diagnosis and treatment. We report a unique case of hepatitis A presenting with multiple extrahepatic manifestations not previously described in a single patient. A 34-year-old male presented with sudden onset of left sided facial pain, swelling, and skin rash, with diffuse body pains and muscle weakness, and was found to be positive for hepatitis A immunoglobulin M (IgM). He was initially started on antibiotics for concerns of bacterial parotitis but did not show any improvement. A punch biopsy of his mandibular rash and swelling was done which showed lymphohistiocytic infiltration with a few eosinophils. A trial of prednisone resulted in improvement of his symptoms. Clinicians should be aware to look for hepatitis A infection in a patient with atypical clinical picture causing a widespread systemic inflammatory response. Treatment with prednisone may result in resolution.

Acute renal failure associated with acute non-fulminant hepatitis B

A 38-year-old female presenting with a high fever of 39 °C developed severe liver dysfunction and acute renal failure (ARF). In tests for a hepatitis associated virus, an Immunoglobulin M-anti-hepatitis B virus core antibody was the only positive finding. Moreover, the progression of ARF coincided with the pole period of liver damage and all the other assumed causes for the ARF were unlikely. Therefore, this case was diagnosed as ARF caused by acute hepatitis B. ARF associated with non-fulminant hepatitis has been infrequently reported, usually in association with acute hepatitis A. This case is considered to be an extremely rare and interesting case.

Acute renal failure associated with acute non-fulminant hepatitis A: a case report and review of literature

Most of the cases of non-fulminant hepatitis A carry good renal and overall prognosis. Here we present a case of acute renal failure associated with acute non-fulminant hepatitis A, for which kidney biopsy showed interstitial nephritis and tubular necrosis. We also review the literature and possible pathogenesis.

Influence of load of hepatitis A virus on disease severity and its relationship with clinical manifestations in patients with hepatitis A

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of viral load on disease severity and analyze the possible relationship of the load of hepatitis A virus (HAV) with disease severity and laboratory findings.

METHODS

Fifty-eight patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis A were used in the current study, of whom 12 patients progressed to severe acute hepatitis (s-AH) defined on the basis of a prothrombin time (PT) of <40% and 46 patients were diagnosed as having mild acute hepatitis (m-AH). The load of HAV was measured with real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Peak viral load showed a significant correlation with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r = 0.363, P = 0.0048) and PT levels (r = -0.330, P = 0.0110). In terms of disease severity, there was a significant correlation with ALT (r = 0.462, P = 0.0012) and PT levels (r = 0.400, P = 0.0059) in the m-AH group, but not in the s-AH group. A significant positive correlation of peak viral load with the C-reactive protein level (r = 0.270, P = 0.0400) and a significant negative correlation of peak viral load with the platelet count (r = -0.313, P = 0.0015) was also found.

CONCLUSIONS

The load of HAV was closely correlated with liver damage and disease severity in m-AH, but not in s-AH. The load of HAV was also closely associated with the increase in C-reactive protein level and enhancement of thrombocytopenia.

Hepatitis A: old and new

The hepatitis A virus (HAV), a picornavirus, is a common cause of hepatitis worldwide. Spread of infection is generally person to person or by oral intake after fecal contamination of skin or mucous membranes; less commonly, there is fecal contamination of food or water. Hepatitis A is endemic in developing countries, and most residents are exposed in childhood. In contrast, the adult population in developed countries demonstrates falling rates of exposure with improvements in hygiene and sanitation. The export of food that cannot be sterilized, from countries of high endemicity to areas with low rates of infection, is a potentially important source of infection. After ingestion and uptake from the gastrointestinal tract, the virus replicates in the liver and is excreted into the bile. Cellular immune responses to the virus lead to destruction of infected hepatocytes with consequent development of symptoms and signs of disease. Humoral immune responses are the basis for diagnostic serologic assays. Acute HAV infection is clinically indistinguishable from other causes of acute viral hepatitis. In young children the disease is often asymptomatic, whereas in older children and adults there may be a range of clinical manifestations from mild, anicteric infection to fulminant hepatic failure. Clinical variants include prolonged, relapsing, and cholestatic forms. Management of the acute illness is supportive, and complete recovery without sequelae is the usual outcome. Research efforts during World War II led to the development of passive immunoprophylaxis. Pooled immune serum globulin is efficacious in the prevention and attenuation of disease in exposed individuals. More recently, active immunoprophylaxis by vaccination has been accomplished. Future eradication of this disease can now be contemplated.

Hepatitis A-induced diabetes mellitus, acute renal failure, and liver failure

A 38-year-old otherwise healthy man presented with hepatic failure (aspartate aminotransferase of 7212 U/L, alanine aminotransferase of 6629 U/L, total and direct bilirubin of 10.7 mg/dL) and acute renal failure (creatinine of 11.6 mg/dL and blood urea nitrogen of 42 mg/dL), which required hemodialysis when the creatinine increased to 21 mg/dL, with a blood urea nitrogen of 115 mg/dL, and the patient became oliguric. On admission, this patient also had a lipase of 1833 U/L, amylase of 211 U/L, glucose of 210 mg/dL, and reactive IgM antibody for acute hepatitis A. The hepatitis and acute renal failure resolved in 3 months, but this patient continues to have type II diabetes mellitus 7 years after the hepatitis A infection. This case illustrates that hepatitis A infection may be severe with liver failure, acute renal failure, and permanent diabetes mellitus as sequale of this infection.