pediatrics
Neonatal Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection
Introduction
Neonatal hepatitis B virus infection is usually acquired during delivery. It is usually asymptomatic but can cause chronic subclinical disease in later childhood or adulthood. Symptomatic infection causes jaundice, lethargy, failure to thrive, abdominal distention, and clay-colored stools. Diagnosis is by serology. Rarely, severe illness may cause acute liver failure requiring liver transplantation. Less severe illness is treated supportively. Active and passive immunization help prevent vertical transmission. ( See also Overview of Acute Viral Hepatitis in adults and Of the recognized forms of primary viral hepatitis, only hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a cause of neonatal hepatitis. Neonatal infection with other viruses (eg, Congenital and Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infection (CMV) , 