Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus in patients with chronic liver disease from Kerala: impact on vaccination policy.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination is recommended worldwide for patients with chronic liver disease to prevent decompensation due to superinfection with HAV. There are recent reports of decline in HAV seroprevalence in developing countries, where hepatitis A was considered hyperendemic. This phenomenon would have implication on policy of hepatitis A vaccination in chronic liver disease in our region.

Fulminant hepatic failure for herpes simplex virus.

Although exceedingly rare, fulminant hepatic failure in immunocompetent patients can develop with primary or recurrent infection due to herpes simplex virus. The diagnosis is frequently obscured by the absence of mucocutaneous involvement. Elevated transaminases with leucopenia and a relatively low bilirubin level may provide clues to the diagnosis.

Groove pancreatitis: a case report and review of literature.

Context: Groove pancreatitis is a rare type of segmental pancreatitis characterized by fibrous scars of the anatomic space between the dorsocranial part of the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and the common bile duct.

Case Report: A 40-year-old man, with a past history of chronic alcohol consumption presented with epigastric pain radiating to the back and intermittent vomiting and a weight loss of 9 kg. A CT of the abdomen revealed swelling of the pancreatic head, a hypodense mass and duodenal wall thickening with luminal narrowing.