Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection

Acute liver failure (ALF) can be due to numerous causes and result in fatality or necessitate liver transplantation if left untreated. Possible etiologies of ALF include ischemia, venous obstruction, medications, toxins, autoimmune hepatitis, metabolic and infectious causes including hepatitis A-E,...

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Main Authors: Elizabeth Caitlin Brewer, Leigh Hunter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Hepatology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1269340
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author Elizabeth Caitlin Brewer
Leigh Hunter
author_facet Elizabeth Caitlin Brewer
Leigh Hunter
author_sort Elizabeth Caitlin Brewer
collection DOAJ
description Acute liver failure (ALF) can be due to numerous causes and result in fatality or necessitate liver transplantation if left untreated. Possible etiologies of ALF include ischemia, venous obstruction, medications, toxins, autoimmune hepatitis, metabolic and infectious causes including hepatitis A-E, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and adenovirus with VZV being the most rarely reported. Pathognomonic skin lesions facilitate diagnosis of VZV hepatitis, but definitive diagnosis is secured with liver biopsy, tissue histopathology, culture, and specific VZV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antiviral treatment with intravenous acyclovir can be effective if initiated in a timely manner; however, comorbidities and complications frequently result in high mortality, especially in immunocompromised hosts as exemplified in this case presentation.
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spelling doaj-art-776b35cd1ae94c61bbb026990cd8ae702025-08-20T02:07:09ZengWileyCase Reports in Hepatology2090-65872090-65952018-01-01201810.1155/2018/12693401269340Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster InfectionElizabeth Caitlin Brewer0Leigh Hunter1Methodist Hospitals of Dallas, 1441 N Beckley Ave Dallas, TX 75203, USAMethodist Hospitals of Dallas, 1441 N Beckley Ave Dallas, TX 75203, USAAcute liver failure (ALF) can be due to numerous causes and result in fatality or necessitate liver transplantation if left untreated. Possible etiologies of ALF include ischemia, venous obstruction, medications, toxins, autoimmune hepatitis, metabolic and infectious causes including hepatitis A-E, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and adenovirus with VZV being the most rarely reported. Pathognomonic skin lesions facilitate diagnosis of VZV hepatitis, but definitive diagnosis is secured with liver biopsy, tissue histopathology, culture, and specific VZV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antiviral treatment with intravenous acyclovir can be effective if initiated in a timely manner; however, comorbidities and complications frequently result in high mortality, especially in immunocompromised hosts as exemplified in this case presentation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1269340
spellingShingle Elizabeth Caitlin Brewer
Leigh Hunter
Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
Case Reports in Hepatology
title Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
title_full Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
title_fullStr Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
title_full_unstemmed Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
title_short Acute Liver Failure due to Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection
title_sort acute liver failure due to disseminated varicella zoster infection
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1269340
work_keys_str_mv AT elizabethcaitlinbrewer acuteliverfailureduetodisseminatedvaricellazosterinfection
AT leighhunter acuteliverfailureduetodisseminatedvaricellazosterinfection