Last update:
18-Jul-2000

Arch Hellen Med, 16(4), July-August 1999, 391-393

SHORT COMMUNICATION

Unusual hepatic damage from Coxsackie-B4 virus

M. SKOUNAKIS, J. KETIKOGLOU, G. KAFIRI, M. SAMOILI,
J. ELEFSINIOTIS, A. PAPAGEORGIOU, G. KARVOUNTZIS
State Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Coxsackie viruses A and B, which belong to the family of enteroviruses, cause a wide variety of symptoms. Hepatic damage from these viruses is a rare phenomenon and occurs predominantly in neonates as a fulminant hepatitis. The case is described of an adult patient who presented with a maculopapular rash, fever and jaundice. Histological examination of the liver biopsy revealed hepatitis and serological study revealed a Coxsackie-B4 virus infection. Such liver damage in adults from this type of virus has not been referred to in the literature. The disease was self limiting and the patient became healthy after a period of 15 days.

Key words: Coxsackie, Hepatitis.