Diagnosis of Neonatal Hepatitis
Neonatal hepatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other known causes of liver disease in infancy must be ruled out. Infants who have jaundice are therefore screened for many possible causes of liver inflammation including viral infections, metabolic diseases, structural abnormalities of the liver and biliary system, and genetic conditions causing liver disease. Many causes of liver disease in infancy are best treated early so testing occurs as quickly as possible and includes blood work and imaging of the liver. Some children may require a liver biopsy as part of their diagnostic workup. If no specific cause of liver dysfunction is identified, neonatal hepatitis is the term used to describe the inflammatory process happening in the infant’s liver.