BILIARY ATRESIA AND REOVIRUS TYPE-3 INFECTION

Abstract

In a recent American study it was found that 17 of 25 patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia had IgG antibodies to reovirus type-3 as compared with only 3 of 37 age matched controls. However, an European group found antibodies to reovirus type-3 in only 13 of 28 patients and in 15 of 30 controls. So it was concluded that reovirus is not an important cause of biliary atresia in Europe. We have performed an identical study using a similar serologic method. IgG antibodies to reovirus type-3 were detected in 16 of 23 neonates with extrahepatic biliary atresia (70%), while only 14 of 35 age-matched controls were positive (40%) (p < 0.05). We also tested maternal blood of 16 children with biliary atresia. Fourteen mothers had IgG antibodies against reovirus (88%), while 5 of 7 controls (70%) were positive. To investigate the occurrence of a recent infection in the mothers, we tested these maternal sera for IgM antibodies. Three out of sixteen mothers of infants with biliary atresia had high titres of IgM antibodies to reovirus. None of seven controls was positive. These results suggest a major role for reovirus type-3 infection in the causation of extrahepatic biliary atresia. In addition, infection of the mother could be important in the pathogenesis of biliary atresia in their children.