Childhood Hepatitis with Rotavirus Gastroenteritis

Purpose: There are many studies of rotavirus gastroenteritis but a few reports of hepatitis by it in Korea. The purpose of this study is to know its clinical characteristics and to help management of hepatitis children by it. Methods: I collected the clinical informations of rotavirus gastroenteritis children who have been found in the Department of Pediatrics, YongIn Severance Hospital, YongIn, Korea from January 2006 to December 2007 with detection of group A antigen of rotavirus from stool. Rotavirus hepatitis has been diagnosed by elevation of serum transaminase and exclusion of other causes inducing hepatitis among them. Their features such as age, sex, clinical features, and prognosis were investigated. Results: There were fifty seven hepatitis(28.1%) among 203 gastroenteritis by rotavirus. Almost all of rotavirus hepatitis patients(92.9%) were 5 and under years old. Their male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Mean serum asparate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level were 70.4±17.1 IU/L and 78.6±20.1 IU/L respectively. All patients showed normalization of transaminase values within two weeks. There was no cases of decreased serum protein and albumin level. There was no definite statistical difference between hepatitis and non-hepatitis group regarding to age, sex, fever duration, and dehydration. But admission duration was longer in hepatitis group(5.7±2.2 days)than in non-hepatitis group(4.9±0.9 days). Conclusion: Hepatitis had a considerable prevalence and an influence on morbidity of rotavirus gastroenteritis. That should be put into consideration when rotavirus gastroenteritis has been foundope