Related Experiment Videos
[Biphasic viral hepatitis "A" associated with autoimmune phenomena]
Revista Espanola De Enfermedades Digestivas
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) typically resolves without complications. This case details a rare HAV relapse with extrahepatic symptoms like joint pain, skin lesions, angioneurotic edema, and autoantibodies, resolving rapidly.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Acute hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) is generally a self-limiting illness.
- Extrahepatic manifestations of HAV are uncommon, distinguishing it from Hepatitis B or nonA-nonB viral infections.
Observation:
- A 37-year-old woman with HAV experienced a relapse characterized by elevated alanine aminotransferase levels.
- The relapse included joint pain, skin lesions, angioneurotic edema, and the presence of autoantibodies (ANA, anti-smooth muscle, anti-parietal gastric cells).
Findings:
- Liver biopsy revealed piecemeal and early bridging necrosis.
- The patient showed a rapid recovery from clinical, biochemical, and histological abnormalities.
- This is the first reported instance of autoantibodies or angioneurotic edema associated with HAV.
Implications:
- This case highlights rare extrahepatic manifestations of HAV, including autoimmune phenomena.
- The rapid reversal suggests a unique pathogenetic mechanism for these severe HAV complications.
- Further research into the pathogenesis of these rare HAV associations is warranted.