Severe neonatal enteroviral hepatitis treated with pleconaril

Neonatal enteroviral hepatitis carries high morbidity and mortality. We tre ated three full term neonates with severe enteroviral hepatitis with plecon aril on an open label compassionate use protocol. Each mother had history o f a viral-like syndrome within 1 week before delivery. The neonates present ed at 4 to 5 days of age with fulminant hepatic failure with severe coagulo pathy, and each yielded an echovirus. All were treated with pleconaril (VP6 3843) at 5 mg/kg every 8 h by nasogastric tube. Two of the three neonates w ith life-threatening enteroviral hepatitis recovered fully. Further experie nce with pleconaril for neonatal enteroviral hepatitis is warranted.