thediagnosisofneonatalhepatitisisinitiallybasedonbloodtestsaimedatidentifyingpossibleviralinfectionsleadingtothedisease.incaseswherenovirusisidentified,aliverbiopsyisperformed.thisinvolvestheremovalofasmallpieceoftheliverusingaspecialsyringeforexaminationunderamicroscope.
biopsyresultswilloftenshowthatgroupsoffourorfivelivercellshavejoinedtogethertoformlargercells.althoughtheselargecellscontinuetofunction,theydosoatalesserratethannormallivercells.thistypeofneonatalhepatitisissometimescalledgiantcellhepatitis.
thesymptomsofneonatalhepatitisaresimilartothoseassociatedwithanotherinfantliverdiseasecalledbiliaryatresia.ininfantswithbiliaryatresiahowever,bileductsareprogressivelydestroyedforreasonsthatarepoorlyunderstood.althoughaninfantwithbiliaryatresiaisalsojaundicedwithanenlargedliver,thereisgenerallynormalgrowthandthespleenisnotinflamed.inadditiontosymptoms,aliverbiopsyandbloodtestsareneededtodistinguishbiliaryatresiafromneonatalhepatitis.
