Skip to main content
Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry logoLink to Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry
. 2009 Sep 16;24(3):316–318. doi: 10.1007/s12291-009-0059-1

Acalculous gallbladder distension in a young child due to HAV infection: Diagnostic dilemma

D R Suresh 1,3,, R Srikrishna 1, S K Nanda 1, V Annam 1, K Sunil 2, B Arjun 2
PMCID: PMC3453317  PMID: 23105856

Abstract

Gall bladder distension with acute viral acalculous cholecystitis is a rare event in pediatric cases with a high incidence of perforation, gallbladder necrosis and mortality. We report a two and a half year old female child presenting with fever, vomiting, pain abdomen, mild hepatosplenomegaly and tenderness in right hypochondrium. Laboratory investigations revealed hyperbilirubinemia and elevated alkaline phosphatase, but there was no evidence of bacterial or parasitic infection. Serology for viral hepatitis suggested acute Hepatitis A infection. Ultrasonographically, distended inflamed gallbladder without calculous was observed. Finally acute acalculous cholecystitis due to Hepatitis A virus was diagnosed and the child responded to the conservative management.

Key Words: Acalculous cholecystitis, Hepatitis A, Pericholecystic fluid, Gallbladder thickening

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (69.1 KB).

References

  • 1.Venuta A, Bertolani P. Acute cholecystitis in a child with HAV infection. Int J Pedia Neonatology 2007; [cited 2009 Jan 25]: 6(2): [about 2p]. Available from: http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol6n2/hav.xml
  • 2.Mourani S., Dobbs S.M., Genta R.M., Tandon A.K., Yoffe B. Hepatitis A virus-associated cholecystitis. Ann Intern Med. 1994;120(5):398–400. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-120-5-199403010-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 3.Casha P., Rifflet H., Renou C., Bulgare J.C., Fieschi J.B. Acalculous acute cholecystitis and viral hepatitis A. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2000;24(5):591–592. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Portincasa P., Moschetta A., Ciaula A., Palmieri V.O., Milella M., Pastore G., et al. Changes of gallbladder and gastric dynamics in patients with acute hepatitis A. Eur J Clin Invest. 2001;31:617–622. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2362.2001.00834.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5.Klar A., Branski D., Nadjari M., Akerman M.Y., Shoseyov D., Hurvitz H. Gallbladder and pancreatic involvement in hepatitis A. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1998;27:143–145. doi: 10.1097/00004836-199809000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Gulnar U., Reha C., Akif G.M., Bayram O. Hydrops of gallbladder associated with infection: A report of two cases. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2000;11(1):84–87. [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Dalgic N., Ince E., Cifti E., Oncel S., Gunes M., Fitoz S., Dogru U. Acute viral acalculous cholecystitis due to viral hepatitis A. J Ankara University Faculty of Medicine. 2005;58(2):78–80. [Google Scholar]
  • 8.Ozaras R., Mert A., Yilmaz M.H., Celik A.D., Tabak F., Bilir M., et al. Acute viral cholecystitis due to hepatitis A virus infection. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2003;37(1):79–81. doi: 10.1097/00004836-200307000-00020. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry are provided here courtesy of Springer

RESOURCES