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Childhood hepatitis A virus infection complicated by pseudotumor cerebri

Rajoo Thapa1, Apurba Ghosh, Swapan Mukherjee

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology Unit, The Institute of Child Health, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. rajoothapa@yahoo.co.in

Southern Medical Journal
|January 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis A virus infection in a child led to pseudotumor cerebri, a condition causing increased intracranial pressure. This rare complication resolved spontaneously, marking the first reported pediatric case.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is common in children.
  • Pseudotumor cerebri (PC), or idiopathic intracranial hypertension, is rare in pediatric populations.
  • Neurological complications of HAV are not well-documented.

Observation:

  • A 4-year-old boy with HAV infection developed symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.
  • Clinical signs included right sixth cranial nerve palsy.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid and MRI scans were normal, consistent with PC diagnosis.

Findings:

  • The patient presented with pseudotumor cerebri secondary to hepatitis A virus infection.
  • Neurological examination revealed isolated sixth nerve paresis.
  • Complete neurological recovery occurred spontaneously within three days.

Implications:

  • This case highlights a rare neurological complication of pediatric hepatitis A.
  • It suggests a potential, albeit uncommon, association between HAV and pseudotumor cerebri in children.
  • Further research may elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this association.

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