Is there any association of extra hepatic biliary atresia with cytomegalovirus or other infections?

The objective of this study was to find any association of extrahepatic biliary atresia (ehba) with a possible infectious etiology. infants diagnosed to have ehba were tested by blood pcr for cytomegalovirus (cmv ), ebstein-barr virus, hbsag, anti-hcv and igm antibodies for cmv, toxoplasma, rubella, and herpes infections. thirty-three infants of ehba were included in the study, male 22, median age when diagnosed 2.5 months (range 1.0-5.0 months). on examination pallor, oedema and hepatosplenomegaly were seen in all and ascites and microcephaly in 19 (57.6%).centile height and weight were 50th in 23 and 25th in 10.persistent cmv infection documented by pcr was present in 14 (42%) patients. eleven of these also had positive cmv igm antibodies. no other above mentioned infections could be detected in our patients of ehba. our data suggests that cmv infection may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of ehba.