Seroprevalence of Common Viruses in Early Infancy in North Indian Children with Biliary Atresia

Introduction: The link between viral infections and biliary atresia (BA), including their frequency and age of onset, remains unclear. Despite India’s large population, research on this association is limited. Materials and Methods: In this study, 78 infants with BA and 35 age-matched controls were tested for Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Rotavirus (RoV), and Reovirus (ReV) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Active viral infections were detected in 64.1% of BA patients, evidenced by viral DNA, antigens, or elevated immunoglobulin M antibodies. CMV was the most common, present in 40% of cases, while EBV was present in 19%. RoV and ReV antigens were identified in 25.6% and 29.5% of patients, respectively. Moreover, 98.7% of BA cases had IgG antibodies to one or more viruses, versus 54.3% in controls ( P < 0.0001). Multiple active infections were seen in 28% of patients. Conclusion: A high rate of viral exposure in BA highlights the need for further research in this area.