giant cell hepatitis

ne·o·na·tal hep·a·ti·tis

hepatitis in the neonatal period presumed to be due to any of a variety of causes, chiefly viral; characterized by direct and indirect bilirubinemia, hepatocellular degeneration, and appearance of multinucleated giant cells; may be difficult to distinguish from biliary atresia, but is more likely to end with recovery, although cirrhosis may develop.

Synonym(s): giant cell hepatitis

giant cell hepatitis

See neonatal hepatitis.

A nonspecific reaction of the newborn liver to increased conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, which occurs with intra- or extrahepatic biliary atresia, erythroblastosis fetalis, TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex) and other in utero and neonatal infections (e.g., coxsackie, hepatitis, Escherichia coli infection, syphilis) and metabolic defects (e.g., a1-antitrypsin deficiency; cystic fibrosis; hereditary fructose intolerance; galactosemia; tyrosinosis requiring parenteral nutrition; choledocal cysts, idiopathic, congenital hepatic fibrosis, trisomy 18 and Byler’s, Lucey-Driscoll, Niemann-Pick and Zellweger’s diseases)

giant cell hepatitis

Giant cell transformation of liver Neonatology A nonspecific reaction of the newborn liver to ↑ conjugated hyperbilirubinemia; conjugated BR is ↑ in infants with intra- or extrahepatic biliary atresia, erythroblastosis fetalis, TORCH–toxoplasmosis, rubella, CMV, HS, and other in utero and neonatal infections–eg, coxsackie, hepatitis, E coli, syphilis, metabolic defects–eg, α₁-antitrypsin deficiency, cystic fibrosis, hereditary fructose intolerance, galactosemia, parenteral nutrition and tyrosinosis, choledocal cysts, idiopathic, congenital hepatic fibrosis, Byler's disease, Lucy-Driscoll disease, Niemann-Pick disease, trisomy 18, and Zellweger's disease. Cf Syncytial giant cell hepatitis.