Hepatitis A associated with other focal infections.
BACKGROUND
Concomitant bacterial and viral infection is a well-known phenomenon, however only very rarely has a bacterial infection been reported during hepatitis A virus infection.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate retrospectively the clinical records of children hospitalized with HAV infection for a concomitant infection proved or presumed to be bacterial.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted on all the children hospitalized with hepatitis A infection from 1988-96 in our center. The records were evaluated for a concomitant infection.


RESULTS
Of 40 children hospitalized with HAV infection, 13 were found to have a concomitant infection: these included 6 with pneumonia, 4 with pyelonephritis and 1 case each of purulent otitis media, osteomyelitis and staphylococcal bacteremia.


CONCLUSIONS
In areas where hepatitis A is endemic, a simultaneous infection with hepatitis A and other common bacterial infection during childhood may co-exist. A permissive role for HAV infection is suggested.
Klar
A
A
Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Bikur Cholim General Hospital, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. aklar@inter.net.il
Gross-Kieselstein
E
E
Shazberg
G
G
Israeli
T
T
Revel-Vilk
S
S
Hurvitz
H
H
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies