Neonatal hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that occurs in the first few months of life. It can occur for various reasons, but most often it is caused by a virus.
A newborn baby with neonatal hepatitis will have jaundice (yellow eyes and skin) that appears around one to two months of age. They may have trouble gaining weight and growing normally and will have an enlarged liver and spleen. They also may have difficulty absorbing certain vitamins for proper growth and development.
Infants with neonatal hepatitis may be given a special diet that can help them gain weight and grow better. It also includes drugs that will help them absorb more fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E and K.
The infant’s blood will be tested to see if there is a virus present that could be causing the problem. If the virus is not identified, a liver biopsy will be performed to try to find out what is causing the inflammation in the liver.
In most cases, the cause of neonatal hepatitis is not well understood. It is thought to be caused by a virus that is passed from the mother during pregnancy or shortly after delivery and is common in about 20% of all newborns. In the other 80%, it is thought to be caused by something else that affects the liver, such as a metabolic defect or a genetic alteration.
There are a few different types of neonatal hepatitis and they all have their own specific symptoms. The most common is that the child will have a lot of jaundice and a swollen liver and they might be unable to absorb the vitamins needed for normal growth.
This can be an important reason to have the infant checked out quickly. It can prevent them from developing serious problems with their liver as they get older.
Hepatitis B is the most common type of hepatitis and is a viral infection that occurs in about 20% of all infants who are born. It is caused by infection with hepatitis B virus from the mother during or soon after birth.
Most babies who are infected with hepatitis B virus during or soon after pregnancy will develop chronic hepatitis. They will usually have elevated levels of hepatitis B surface antigen and increased transaminase levels.
During pregnancy, hepatitis B is most often transferred through contact with infectious secretions of the mother’s liver. In some cases, hepatitis B is transferred through direct contact with the mother’s urine or breast milk.
In rare cases, hepatitis B can be transmitted through the mother’s blood during labor and delivery. In these cases, the mother will have hepatitis B virus antibodies in her blood.
If an infant is infected with hepatitis b virus, they will need to be given a hepatitis b vaccine within 12 hours of birth. This will help to protect them from the risk of developing chronic hepatitis b virus infection as they grow older.
