Acute ascites accompanying hepatitis A infection in a child.

A seven-year-old child developed ascites when recovering from hepatitis A infection. Accumulation of intraperitoneal fluid was confirmed by ultrasonic study. The clinical course was otherwise uneventful and the ascites disappeared after a few days with no treatment, and did not recur for five years. Ascites may exceptionally accompany hepatitis A infection. Its appearance, however, does not indicate an unfavorable outcome.