Hepatitis in children hospitalized with measles: The experience acquired after a Greek epidemic

Objective: In childhood, hepatitis is an uncommon and ill-defined complication of measles. We studied prospectively the prevalence of hepatitis in 189 children with measles, admitted to hospital during a measles epidemic in Greece. Methodology: Diagnosis of measles was based on clinical features and a fourfold rise of the haemagglutination inhibiting antibody titre, while liver impairment was based on a twofold or greater increase in Liver enzymes. Results: Nine children (4.8%) had increased liver enzymes. Hepatitis was not related to the duration and severity of fever or the coexistence of other complications, and in all children but one, was subclinical and resolved rapidly. One child with mental retardation who was being treated with anti-epileptic therapy and had normal liver enzymes prior to measles, developed hepatic coma from which he recovered 1 month later. Conclusions: Liver involvement in childhood measles is rare and transient but it may be severe in children receiving hepatotoxic drugs.