Hepatitis in pre-school children: prevalent role of cytomegalovirus.
Virological and serological investigations were performed on 8 children with clinical and/or laboratory signs of hepatitis. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) appeared as the most frequently involved etiologic agent, since it was associated with 5 severe or chronically-evolving cases. Out of the other 3 patients with non-CMV associated hepatitis, all completely recovering, two had clinically typical Epstein-Barr virus infections, while the remaining patient had an asymptomatic HBV infection.
Nigro
G
G
Pediatric Institute of La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Mattia
S
S
Vitolo
R
R
Bartmann
U
U
Midulla
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male