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Nine children have already been admitted to the pediatric ward of the Żeromski hospital in Kraków with mysterious acute hepatitis. Doctors still do not know the cause of the disease. All over the world, over several hundred cases of the disease have been detected within a few weeks, mainly in Europe.
- The number of cases of acute hepatitis in children in Europe and around the world has been increasing for several weeks
- In mid-May, the disease came to Poland. In Kraków alone, nine children were hospitalized for this reason
- Most of the cases were mild. No patient required a transplant – says Dr. Lidia Stopyra, head of the infectious diseases and paediatrics department of the Hospital. Stefan Żeromski in Krakow
- We do not know the etiological factor of this disease and this worries us – adds the doctor
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Acute hepatitis in children
The first reports of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children came from the UK in early April. The local Health Safety Agency informed that 60 cases have already been detected, and earlier there were several cases a year. Further cases of the disease began to appear in other countries, incl. Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the USA.
The latest official report by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on May 20 lists 276 cases in 16 European countries.
In mid-May, the disease reached Poland. A few days ago, official data of the National Institute of Hygiene mentioned 15 cases, but it was not specified how many of them concern adults and how many children. Now the scale is much larger. In Krakow itself, to the hospital of Żeromski was delivered to nine children in a short time. They are looked after by Dr. Lidia Stopyra.
Children from all over Małopolska, as well as from the surrounding provinces, are sent to its department. The clinics transfer patients to Krakow when the origin of the disease is unclear.
Acute hepatitis – how does the disease progress?
What worried the parents of the children who were hospitalized?
– Children came to us with vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. A symptom that worried the parents was yellowing of the skin and eyes. After our tests, it turned out that it was hepatitis – told Gazeta Krakowska, Dr. Lidia Stopyra, head of the infectious diseases and paediatrics department of the Hospital. Stefan Żeromski in Krakow. Among the symptoms of acute hepatitis, he also lists significant weakness, loss of concentration and abdominal pain.
The doctor emphasizes that most children have mild disease.
– There are reports from the world that some patients even die because of this, liver transplants are needed. Fortunately, there were no such cases in our country, although several children faced a difficult course – said Stopyra in an interview with tvn24.pl.
Most of the children have already been discharged from the hospital.
Acute hepatitis – what is the cause?
Doctors and experts cannot accurately determine the causes of the disease. According to Stopyra, the reason is an infectious agent, as yet unidentified.
– We do not know the etiological factor of this disease and it worries us. Although adenovirus, serotype 41 is suspected of this infection, it was not possible to confirm it in all cases – the doctor explains.
The pediatrician adds that the way the disease spreads is not known, so patients in Żeromski hospital who are suspected of having acute hepatitis of unknown origin must be isolated.
“Perhaps a new pathogen, a new virus, will be discovered.” We are counting on the research of virologists in this matter – says Dr. Stopyra.
Among the reasons for the increase in such an increase in disease, scientists mention the weakening of immunity. The coronavirus pandemic is also important.
COVID-19 may be the cause
– So far, research evidence suggests that it is either an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which thus manifests itself in children long-term, or an adenovirus infection in people who have previously had COVID-19. These two hypotheses are now most seriously taken into account, but we cannot exclude the others – said professor Krzysztof Pyrć, virologist from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, in an interview with tvn24.pl.
According to Pyrcia, if it is confirmed that the causative agent of the disease is COVID-19, it will be difficult to talk about developing a new, more effective method of treatment.
Therefore, it emphasizes the importance of vaccinating children against COVID-19 to minimize the chance of complications.
Acute hepatitis – watch out for these symptoms
The symptoms of hepatitis in a child are characteristic, but they can be confused with symptoms of “ordinary” gastroenteritis, the common intestine or gastric flu.
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Primarily:
- nausea,
- abdominal pain,
- vomiting,
- diarrhea,
- loss of appetite
- fever,
- pain in muscles and joints,
- weakness, fatigue,
- yellowish discoloration of the skin and / or eyeballs.
A sign of liver inflammation is often discoloration of the urine (it becomes darker than usual) and the stool (it is pale, grayish).
If your child develops this type of disorder, you should immediately consult a pediatrician or general practitioner, and if this is not possible, go to the hospital, where the little patient will undergo a detailed examination.
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