Dengue and liver disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Hepatology

Background:

• Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a severe mosquito-borne viral illness.
• Acute hepatitis and hepatic encephalopathy are rare but serious complications of DHF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on pediatric cases of severe hepatic dysfunction secondary to DHF.
• To highlight the clinical presentation and outcomes of children with DHF-associated hepatitis and encephalopathy.

Main Methods:

• Case series reporting on four pediatric patients.
• Clinical data review focusing on presentation, management, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Four children (8 months to 3 years) presented with severe hepatic dysfunction.
• Three male infants also developed hepatic encephalopathy.
• Two of the three infants with hepatic encephalopathy died, indicating high mortality.

Conclusions:

• DHF can manifest with severe hepatitis and hepatic encephalopathy in children.
• The co-occurrence of hepatitis and encephalopathy in DHF presents a critical, high-mortality condition in pediatric patients.