Autoimmune Hepatitis Presenting as Acute Fulminant Hepatitis in a Nigerian Woman

Abstract

Autoimmune hepatitis is rare in sub-Saharan Africa except for south Africa. Only 3 cases have been previously reported in Nigeria with a population of 200 million. All the 3 cases had features of liver cirrhosis at presentation.

We report a case of a 49-year-old woman who presented with acute fulminant hepatitis and turned out to be autoimmune hepatitis based on elevated serum gammaglobinaemia, amino transferases, positive anti-nuclear antibody, and absence of other aetiology. Patient had a good response to steroid treatment.

Autoimmune hepatitis occurs in Nigerian patients and can present in a rarer form of acute fulminant hepatitis which seen in about 10% of cases globally.