Liver involvement in severe human influenza A H1N1

Abstract

Influenza A is a disease caused by a RNA virus, member of the orthomyxoviridae family. The influenza infection is characterized primarily by pulmonary affection that may advance to an acute pulmonary respiratory failure course. Hepatic involvement is not frequent and accounts for < 3% of all cases. We describe two patients with acute Influenza A H1N1 infection who developed hepatic involvement. Needle core liver biopsy of one of the patients revealed only micro and macrovesicular steatosis.

Keywords

• Human Influenza A H1N1
• Hepatic involvement
• Cytokine dysregulation