title: Cytomegalovirus hepatitis confirmed by in situ hybridization in 3 immunocompetent infants.
abstract: We present 3 cases of immunocompetent infants with CMV infection who showed prolonged liver dysfunction. In all cases the CMV genome was detectable in hepatocytes using the in situ hybridization method. Combination therapy with ganciclovir (GCV) and hyperimmune gammaglobulin (HGG) was instituted in 2 cases and successfully suppressed the replication of CMV, with sustained improvement in liver function. In 1 of these cases, signals for CMV DNA were undetectable in the liver 12 months after termination of combination therapy. These results help to confirm the etiology of CMV for persistent hepatitis in immunocompetent infants using the in situ hybridization method and also show the efficacy of combination therapy with a virostatic agent, GCV, and an immune-modulating agent, HGG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozaiwa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka-Taya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamanishi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; C045781:cytomegalovirus-specific hyperimmune globulin; D015774:Ganciclovir