Key Points 1 Systemic viral infections can cause liver injury that ranges from mild asymptomatic and transient elevation of serum aminotransferase levels to acute icteric hepatitis or rarely severe hepatitis with acute liver failure (ALF). 2 The clinical presentation may…
Key Points 1 Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as the leading indication for liver transplantation in Western countries. 2 HCV infection is also implicated…
Key Points 1 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of acute liver failure, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 2 HBV infection can be prevented by hepatitis B vaccination. 3 Acute HBV infection is most likely to resolve…
Key Points 1 Infection by the nonenveloped, enterically transmitted viruses, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV), generally causes self-limited infection, but severe hepatitis may develop in some cases; chronic hepatitis E has been recognized in immunosuppressed patients…
Key Points 1 Acute liver failure (ALF) is an uncommon but dramatic clinical syndrome that is associated with a high risk of mortality. 2 The defining features of ALF reflect mental status changes (i.e., hepatic encephalopathy [HE]) and coagulopathy in…
Key Points 1 Reflecting the liver’s diverse functions, the colloquial term liver function tests (LFTs) includes true tests of hepatic synthetic function (e.g., serum albumin), tests of excretory function (e.g., serum bilirubin), and tests that reflect hepatic necroinflammatory activity (e.g.,…