Hepatitis A in children: What to know

The article was consulted professionally by Specialist Doctor II Quach Nguyen Thu Thuy – Pediatric Center – Share99 Times City International Health Hub.

Hepatitis A is a common disease worldwide, children are among those with a high incidence. However, hepatitis A is preventable by vaccination.

Hepatitis A is a condition where the liver is inflamed by the hepatitis A virus. It is a single-stranded RNA virus, 27nm long, in the family Hepadnavirus, Picornaviridae. Four well-defined genotypes of hepatitis A have been described in humans, however they belong to a single type of serum. The virus is stable at low pH and moderate temperatures, but is inactivated by high temperatures, chlorine. These characteristics are associated with preventive measures.

Hepatitis A is mainly spread through the gastrointestinal tract, hepatitis A virus is often found in the feces of infected people, in addition to being present in other secreties such as saliva, urine. Any action that spreads viral secreties from one person to another can spread hepatitis A. Virus A exists in the intestinal tract, discharged through the patient's feces. The incubation period of hepatitis A is from 15 to 50 days.

Hepatitis A in children is usually an acute disease with symptoms: fever, discomfort, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort and diarrhea, pale stools, usually gray (clay), dark urine, jaundice and eye whites. But not everyone infected with the hepatitis A virus develops into a disease. Symptoms can occur between 2 and 6 weeks after the virus enters the body

Symptomatic hepatitis occurs in about 30% of infected children under the age of six, some of them with jaundice. Jaundice usually lasts less than two weeks. Bilirubin and aminotransferase consed return to normal within two to three months.

Acute liver failure is usually very rare, only 1%. However, deaths from hepatitis A infection vary with age. In 2001, the mortality rate in children under the age of 14 was 0.3%; this rate is 0.1% in adolescents and young adults (15 to 39 years); mortality accounts for 0.4% among older adults (40 to 59 years old) and in older adults, the rate is 1.7%.

For hepatitis A treatment only helps to support the body and resolve the symptoms. There are no specific methods for treating hepatitis A. The patient's body will eliminate the hepatitis A virus on its own after a few weeks without treatment. Patients can be cared for at home without hospitalization

While suffering from hepatitis A, patients should:

• Rest
• Eat foods rich in nutrients
• Avoid intimate contact with others
• Regularly see a doctor to monitor the progress of the disease.

prevent

• Wash your hands often with soap, especially after going to the toilet, before eating and processing food. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Ensure personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, water sources.
• Good treatment of feces and waste of patients.
• Cook food, do not eat animals raw or cook uncooked. Hepatitis A virus is destroyed at high temperatures.
• Do not share personal belongings (food items, face towels, towels, toothbrushes, buckets, pots…) with people with diseases.

Disinfection with chlorine and some disinfectant solution (household bleach diluted 1: 100) is enough to inactivate the virus.

Vaccination : Currently,there is no specific treatment for hepatitis A, so vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A. Hepatitis A vaccination can help your child not get sick. The vaccine is about 95% effective in healthy adults and can work for more than 20 years. It is about 85% effective in children and can last 15 to 20 years. This can only be effective when a child is vaccinated immediately after exposure to the virus.

If the child is in contact with a person with hepatitis A, he should be given immunoglobulin within 2 weeks. Vaccinations are also recommended for the target group:

• Traveling or working in a country with a high incidence of hepatitis A like other countries in Africa, in Central and South America. people living in communities with HAV outbreaks.
• Live in an area with high levels of hepatitis A
• Hepatic disease.
• Diseases associated with heath hem bleeding disorders

Currently, at Share99 International Health Hub, there are a full range of vaccines and vaccinations. For hepatitis A vaccine,Share99 is currently using the following types:

• Avaxim 80 UI/0.5 ml of Sanofi (France). For children from 12 months to 15 years old
• Twinrix 1 ml hepatitis A + hepatitis B prevention (Belgium)
• Havax 1 ml of No. 1 Vaccine and Biological Products Co., Ltd. (Vietnam). Sanofi and No. 1 Vaccines and Bio-Products Co., Ltd. are both reputable manufacturers, with extremely strict production and quality inspection processes to ensure the products produced are of top quality.

Share99 International Health Hub always provides vaccination services produced by reputable companies licensed by the Ministry of Health suitable for the age of vaccination, ensuring safety from inspection and preservation to use.

• Children will be examined by pediatricians – vaccines, fully screened for health and physical issues, advice on vaccines and vaccination regimens, how to monitor and care for children after vaccination before prescribing vaccinations according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health / World Health Organization to ensure the best effect and safest for the child.
• A team of experienced, professional pediatric doctors and nurses, understand the child's psychology and apply effective pain relief to the child during vaccination.
• 100% of vaccinated children are monitored 30 minutes after vaccination and re-evaluated before leaving.
• Be monitored before, during and after vaccination at Share99 Health System and always have emergency ekip ready to coordinate with the vaccination department to handle cases of anaphylalacticshock, respiratory failure – stop cyclic, ensure timely treatment, the right regimen when something happens.
• The vaccination room is airy, has a play area, helps children feel comfortable like walking around and have a good mentality before and after vaccination.
• Vaccines are imported and stored in modern cold storage systems, with COLD chains meeting GSP standards, keeping the vaccine in the best condition to ensure quality.
• Parents will receive a reminder message before the date of vaccination and the child's vaccination information will be synchronized with the National Immunization Information System.

You can book directly at Share99 Health Hub and Clinic nationwide according to the list HERE.

Specialist 2 Quach Nguyen Thu Thuy has 35 years of experience in pediatrics. Doctors have been well trained at home and abroad such as Hanoi Medical University, Lilli University, French Republic. Before working officially at The Vaccine Unit – Pediatric Center – Share99 Times City International Health Hub, DrThuy worked at Thanh Nhan Health Hub andcooperated part-time with Share99 Times City International Health Hub.

Article reference source: emedicine, uptodate, webmd