The perinatal infection of cytomegalovirus is an important etiology for biliary atresia in China.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to detect the infection rates of DNA viruses in liver tissue of biliary atresia and to investigate the effect of perinatal infection of cytomegalovirus in biliary atresia.

METHODS

A total of 85 liver biopsies (taken during Kasai portoenterostomy) were tested by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction for DNA viruses (herpes simplex virus [HSV], Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], varicella zoster virus [VZV], cytomegalovirus [HCMV], and adenovirus). Immunocytochemical detection of CMV-pp65 antigenemia assay was used to detect the presence of viral protein in liver samples. Human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells was infected by the laboratory strain AD169 of HCMV in vitro.

RESULTS

Virus DNA was found in the biopsies (51/85 HCMV, 5/85 ADV, 3/85 EBV). The biopsies of 2 patients were tested positive for 2 viruses simultaneously. They include one case of HCMV in combination with ADV and one case of ASV in combination with EBV. CMV-pp65 antigenemia were distributed in hepatocyte, vascular endothelial cell, and biliary duct endothelial cell. The cytopathic effect and apoptosis were observed after HCMVAD169 infected human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells at 6 days.

CONCLUSION

Human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell is the target cell of HCMV. The etiology of biliary atresia is probably multifactorial. The perinatal infection of HCMV is one of the important etiologies for biliary atresia in China.