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Semin Liver Dis 2009; 29(3): 331-334
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1233537
DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEMS IN HEPATOLOGY

© Thieme Medical Publishers

Vaccination as a Triggering Event for Autoimmune Hepatitis

Ponni Perumalswami1 , Lan Peng2 , Joseph A. Odin1
  • 1Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York
  • 2Division of Liver Pathology, The Lillian and Henry M. Stratton-Hans Popper Department of Pathology, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York
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Publication History

Publication Date:
12 August 2009 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis entails complex interactions between triggering factors, autoantigens, genetic predisposition, and immunoregulatory networks. Implicated triggering factors are numerous and include toxins, medications, and infectious agents. In this article, we present a unique case of a 31-year-old woman with severe autoimmune hepatitis apparently abruptly triggered by vaccination. All evidence suggests this was an idiosyncratic response to either hepatitis A or yellow fever vaccination.

KEYWORDS

Autoimmune hepatitis - vaccination - yellow fever - hepatitis A

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Joseph A OdinM.D. Ph.D. 

Division of Liver Diseases, Box 1101

The Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029

Email: Joseph.Odin@msnyuhealth.org