Causes of Neonatal Hepatitis
An infant or toddler may contract hepatitis from exposure to a viral source. Infants generally contract hepatitis B and hepatitis C mainly from their mothers at birth. Generally hepatitis A is contracted by eating food that was prepared by someone who forgot to wash their hands after using the bathroom. In autoimmune liver disease, the body's immune system develops antibodies that attack the liver causing an inflammatory process that leads to hepatitis.

The following is a list of some of the viruses associated with hepatitis:

Hepatitis viruses: The five main types of the hepatitis virus are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV): This virus belongs to the herpes virus family and can be transmitted from person to person.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV): This commonly causes infectious mononucleosis.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV): This is a viral infection that can affect the face and the skin above the waist, or the genitalia.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV): This is also known as the chickenpox virus. A complication of VZV is hepatitis, although it is rare in children or infants.