Hepatitis, Neonatal

Synonyms

• Cirrhosis, Congenital Liver
• Cirrhosis, Giant Cell of Newborns
• Giant Cell Disease of the Liver
• Giant Cell Hepatitis
• Idiopathic Neonatal Hepatitis

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Neonatal hepatitis refers to a group of liver disorders that affect newborns between the ages of about 1 and 2 months, and produce a typical yellow color to the infant’s skin (jaundice). In contrast to infants with biliary atresia, those with neonatal hepatitis have normal, intact, bile ducts (biliary tracts).

Most, but by no means all, cases of neonatal hepatitis can be traced to rare, inherited errors of metabolism or to prenatal infection by one or another of the hepatitis viruses. Many cases, however, seem to occur for no apparent reason (sporadic) and, in rare instances, neonatal hepatitis may be inherited as an autosomal recessive genetic trait.
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Resources

Children's Liver Alliance
IN
Email: mail@liverkids.org.au
Internet: http://www.liverkids.org.au

American Liver Foundation
75 Maiden Lane
Suite 603
New York, NY 10038
USA
Tel: 2126681000
Fax: 2124838179
Tel: 8004654837
Email: info@liverfoundation.org
Internet: http://www.liverfoundation.org

NIH/National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3570
Tel: (301)654-3810
Fax: (301)907-8906
Tel: (800)891-5389
Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.niddk.nih.gov

Hepatitis Foundation International
504 Blick Dr
Silver Spring, MD 20904
Tel: (301)622-4200
Fax: (301)622-4702
Tel: (800)891-0707
Email: hfi@comcast.net
Internet: http://www.hepatitisfoundation.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated: 9/25/2003
Copyright 1986, 1990, 1994, 1995, 2003 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.