Hepatitis A and cryptogenic cirrhosis of liver: a case series
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20241018Keywords:
Hepatitis A, Cryptogenic cirrhosis, Feco-oral route, Chronic liver diseaseAbstract
We are discussing a case series of 12 patients that presented with either compensated or decompensated chronic liver disease that were labelled as cryptogenic cirrhosis of liver after ruling out most of the known causes of chronic liver disease. They were found to be positive for hepatitis A IgG antibody. Cryptogenic cirrhosis has been attributed to various possible causes like non- alcoholic fatty liver disease, various metabolic disorders or occult viral infections. Hepatitis A virus is known to cause acute viral hepatitis. Presence of hepatitis A IgG antibodies in serum of patients with chronic liver disease may act as a clue to fill the voids in our understanding of cryptogenic cirrhosis of liver. Possibility of hepatitis A and various other viruses as potential causes of chronic liver disease needs to be explored.
References
Nalbantoglu I, Jain D. Cryptogenic cirrhosis: Old and new perspectives in the era of molecular and genomic medicine. Semin Diagn Pathol. 2019;36(6):389-94.
Caldwell S. Cryptogenic cirrhosis: what are we missing? Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2010;12(1):40-8.
Rinaldi L, Nascimbeni F, Giordano M, Masetti C, Guerrera B, Amelia A, et al. Clinical features and natural history of cryptogenic cirrhosis compared to hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(8):1458-68.
Gozlan Y, Bar-Or I, Volnowitz H, Asulin E, Rich R, Anis E, et al. Lessons from intensified surveillance of viral hepatitis A, Israel, 2017 and 2018. Euro Surveill. 2021;26(6):2000001.
Webb GW, Kelly S, Dalton HR. Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E: Clinical and Epidemiological Features, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. Clin Microbiol Newsl. 2020;42(21):171-9.
Charlton MR, Kondo M, Roberts SK, Steers JL, Krom RA, Wiesner RH. Liver transplantation for cryptogenic cirrhosis. Liver Transpl Surg. 1997;3(4):359-64.
Paula VS, Milagres FAP, Oliveira GM, Miguel JC, Cruz HM, Scalioni LP, et al. High prevalence of hepatitis A in indigenous population in north Brazil. BMC Res Notes. 2020;13(1):458.
Pereira FE, Gonçalves CS. Hepatite A. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2003;36(3):387-400.
Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J, Loscalzo J. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 19th ed. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill; 2015.
Mercado-Irizarry A, Torres EA. Cryptogenic cirrhosis: Current knowledge and future directions. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken). 2016;7(4):69-72.
Nalbantoglu I, Jain D. Cryptogenic cirrhosis: Old and new perspectives in the era of molecular and genomic medicine. Semin Diagn Pathol. 2019;36(6):389-94.
