Photo: Playback / Freepik
The cases of severe acute hepatitis in children have put doctors around the world on high alert. at least recognized 12 countriesespecially Europeans, illness worried about the fear of a epidemic. Israel and the United States have also reported cases of the disease. In addition, the origin of the inflammation affecting the liver is still unknown.
Among them are children who have fallen ill 1 month and 16 yearsbut most are under 10 years old.
On the 15th of this month, the World Health Organization issued an alert on episodes of severe acute hepatitis. So far, one child has died from the disease. above 190 cases have been recorded so far according to WHO data.
According to the agency 17 children had to undergo a liver transplant because of the mysterious illness.
On April 24, the Strategic Information Centers for Health Surveillance of all Brazilian states and the federal district received a risk notification from the Health Surveillance Secretariat of the Ministry of Health. According to the document, no connection with the vaccination Against the Covid19 has been identified and there are no case reports in Brazil related to the event.
For now, the disease is more likely to have been triggered by an infectious cause, but no link to toxic or contaminated food has been established.
ES pediatricians on alert
According to pediatrician Roberta Fragoso, doctors are attentive to the recommendations and information provided by the international communities and closely monitor all the epidemiological data presented.
The hepatitis cases, which hitherto mostly affected children, began with typical symptoms of gastroenteritis (diarrhoea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and feeling unwell), developing into jaundice (yellow skin) in the course of the examination, the picture of possibly infectious hepatitis was defined.
“The hypothesis put forward is that this hepatitis is due to a type of virus called adenovirus. This mechanism of how the virus causes this injury can be caused specifically by the virus itself mediating this inflammation and then leading to the death of these cells in the liver that we call hepatic necrosis, or even with a mechanism that is immunologically mediated “explained the doctor.
Roberta also said that the recordings should be monitored when they appear in Espírito Santo.
What is hepatitis and what are the symptoms in children?
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that can be caused by viral infections, toxins, drugs, and other conditions. The most common causes of viral hepatitis are viruses Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. In children, infectious and druginduced hepatitis are most common.
According to Roberta Fragoso, symptoms include yellow eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, lightcolored or whitish stools, darker urine, nausea and sometimes fever.
How to prevent something?
For hepatitis A and B, there are vaccines that help protect against disease and are even part of the national vaccination program.
Photo: reproduction
To prevent the disease, it is also important to teach children proper hygiene.
It is worth remembering that the virus settles in the feces and spreads through other hosts.
Frequent and proper hand washing therefore eliminates the risk of getting sick.
SEE TIPS FOR STRENGTHENING PRIMARY SUPPLY
Wash fruits and vegetables under running water. Then soak in a solution containing 1 tablespoon of bleach (2 to 2.5% active chlorine) to 1 liter of water. Then dry under running water;
Wash your hands thoroughly before meals;
Drink only filtered and boiled water