Clinical implications of aminotransferase elevation in hospitalised infants aged 8-90 days with respiratory virus detection.

Background: Fever and respiratory symptoms are the major causes of hospitalisation in infants aged 90 days or less. Respiratory viruses (RVs) are detected by multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) in up to 70% of infants tested in this population. Aminotransferase elevation is not uncommon in RV infections, and repeat laboratory investigations are frequent due to concerns regarding the occurrence of hepatic disease.