De Novo Autoimmune Hepatitis After Liver Transplantation for Hepatitis B

De novo autoimmune hepatitis is a form of chronic hepatitis that occurs in patients after liver transplantation for reasons other than autoimmune hepatitis. Recognition of the disorder requires a high degree of vigilance on the parts of the treating clinicians and pathologists. Here, we report a case of a 54-year-old woman who developed liver dysfunction several years after transplantation for complications of hepatitis B. After liver biopsy, a diagnosis of de novo autoimmune hepatitis was established. The clinicopathological features of autoimmune and de novo autoimmune hepatitis are reviewed. The risk factors, possible pathogenetic mechanisms, and differential diagnosis of de novo autoimmune hepatitis are discussed.