A Study on Hepatic Dysfunction Associated with Rubella Infection

We had 11 patients with rubella infection accompanied by hepatic dysfunction from 1979 through 1989. The elevations of sGOT were moderate, but sLDH levels were high. Extra hepatic manifestations were suspected by analysis of LDH isozymes. In 9 out of 11 patients, the sGPT levels returned to normal within 8 weeks. But prolonged courses of abnormal transaminase levels were observed in 2 patients. One was accompanied by underlying chronic hepatitis type non-A, non-B, and the other was supposed to have a prolonged rubella infection. Liver biopsy specimen taken from one patient in the acute phase demonstrated a non-specific reactive hepatitis. These observations suggest that rubella infection should be taken into consideration in making the diagnosis of sporadic hepatitis type non-A, non-B.