FULMINANT-HEPATITIS IN NEONATES WITH HUMAN-HERPESVIRUS-6 INFECTION

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is common and occurs early in life, causing exanthema subitum (roseola)1 and an acute febrile illness without rash in young children.2,3 HHV-6 infection has recently been implicated as a major cause of febrile convulsions in children4 and acute HHV-6 infections account for 10 to 20% of all febrile children seen in pediatric emergency departments.3 Serious complications have been described including disseminated infection,5 meningitis,6 encephalitis,7, 8 fulminant hepatitis9, 10 and fatal hemophagocytic syndrome.11 This report presents two cases of neonatal hepatitis associated with a primary infection with HHV-6 that could possibly have resulted from an ante- or perinatal transmission. © 1995 by Williams and Wilkins.