Subfulminant syncytial giant cell hepatitis: recurrence after liver transplantation treated with ribavirin

We report the case of an adult patient affected by acute syncytial giant cell hepatitis which had a subfulminant course leading to liver transplantation. Syncytial giant cell hepatitis recurred after transplantation and was efficiently treated with ribavirin. In this patient, the recurrence of the disease, the presence of filamentous strands on electron microscopy during both bouts of hepatitis and the efficacy of ribavirin on post-transplantation hepatitis suggest that the disease was caused by an original virus. This observation also suggests that early administration of ribavirin in patients affected by acute syncytia; giant cell hepatitis of unknown origin could avoid liver transplantation.