/data/photo/2022/05/05/6272d2a8bae77.jpg "How to prevent transmission of acute hepatitis and the symptoms to watch out for")
KOMPAS.com – Cases of acute hepatitis mysterious being in the spotlight of many parties.
The reason is that in addition to attacking children in Europe, the US and Asia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated: case of acute hepatitis as an Extraordinary Event (KLB).
WHO recorded at least 228 possible cases of acute hepatitis from 20 countries.
Indonesia is reported to have identified 15 cases of severe hepatitis of unknown origin after reporting three deaths among the pediatric age group.
Reuters wrote, the information was conveyed by the Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a press conference held on Monday (9/5/2022).
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So, how to prevent transmission of hepatitis cases and what are the prevention steps?
What is mysterious acute hepatitis?
Professor of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Padjadjaran University (FK Unpad) Dwi Prasetyo explained that mysterious hepatitis is actually a hepatitis with unknown etiology.
This was revealed after the initial examination carried out by British health authorities on pediatric patients who were indicated to be affected by the disease.
“The hepatitis that we usually know is A, B, C, D, and E. The incident in England that has been tested has turned out to be negative for the five hepatitis. That’s why they report types of hepatitis with unknown etiology or types of hepatitis non-A, B, C, D, E,” he said, quoted from the page. Unpad (8/5/2022).
So far, experts are still investigating the cause of the mysterious hepatitis.
The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has issued a warning against the transmission of acute hepatitis.
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Furthermore, the Head of the Gastrohepatology Division of the Department of Pediatrics, FK Unpad, explained that the IDAI alert was issued considering that many cases were reported to occur in the group of children.
“Currently, what are reported are children, but it is not impossible that it can be transmitted to adults. It’s still being investigated,” he said.
Children are vulnerable to contracting mysterious acute hepatitis
Dwi said, children are vulnerable to contracting a mysterious acute hepatitis.
One of the factors is the development of immunity or the child’s immune system is not yet strong.
“This is still being researched, and we will see later whether the affected children have comorbidities, are in good health, or have immune disorders,” he added.
Apart from mysterious hepatitis cases, hepatitis is a contagious disease.
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Transmission of hepatitis A is transmitted through the mouth and an unhealthy lifestyle.
This is prone to occur in school children whose awareness of maintaining cleanliness is still lacking.
While hepatitis B and C are transmitted through blood products, including blood transfusions.
“For unknown hepatitis, we still don’t know exactly whether it is transmitted by mouth or by transfusion. It can also be transmitted through everything,” he said.
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Illustration of acute hepatitis in children, mysterious hepatitis in children, symptoms of acute hepatitis in children, symptoms of mysterious hepatitis in children. –
Prof. Dwi added, hepatitis A is lighter than hepatitis B and C.
However, there are some cases of acute hepatitis A which then progress to chronic and can cause death.
However, the death rate from hepatitis A is not too much. While hepatitis B and C tend to be more severe and can continue to be chronic.
In some cases, it can progress to cirrhosis in the form of liver damage.
This then triggers cancer in the sufferer.
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The importance of hepatitis vaccination
However, people with hepatitis B and C can recover through treatment that continues to develop.
While hepatitis D and E are often attached or coincident with hepatitis A, B, and C.
“Therefore, these two hepatitis are rarely examined,” he said again.
Until now, only hepatitis A and B already have a vaccine.
In fact, hepatitis B vaccination has been included in the national immunization program, so it can be obtained at the primary health care level for free.
Although it is not yet known whether the two types of vaccines can prevent the transmission of mysterious hepatitis, his party emphasized that hepatitis vaccination is still mandatory.
Apart from vaccination, Dwi also appealed to the public, especially children who are about to start school, to live a hygienic lifestyle.
The easy way is to keep your body clean, especially your hands.
“People already have experience about living healthy from Covid-19, this is one way to prevent it,” he said.
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Dwi also advised the public to immediately go to the nearest health service if it is indicated that they are infected with hepatitis.
Common features that are easily visible from hepatitis are yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark yellow urine color, to have symptoms of fever, nausea, and vomiting.
“Immediately report to the health center. Now health workers have been given guidelines and handling, starting from health workers at the primary level. If it is beyond their competence, the patient will be referred in stages,” he concluded.
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Symptoms of mysterious cases of acute hepatitis
Director of Prevention and Control of Directly Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Siti Nadia Tarmizi –
Meanwhile, it is reported Kompas.com (5/5/2022), Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Siti Nadia Tarmizi said her party was still investigating the cause of the mysterious acute hepatitis incident through a number of complete virus panel examinations.
Nadia said the Ministry of Health had increased vigilance in the last two weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a case of acute hepatitis affecting children whose cause was not known as an Extraordinary Event (KLB).
Parents, he added, need to be aware of the mysterious acute hepatitis by observing a number of symptoms.
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The following are a number of symptoms that arise in the mysterious case of acute hepatitis in the child:
- Symptoms of yellow
- Stomach ache
- Vomiting
- Sudden diarrhea
- Urinating dark yellow
- Pale stools Convulsions
- Loss of consciousness.
Nadia appealed, if a child experiences these symptoms, parents are asked to immediately take him to the nearest health facility.
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Preventive measures
A number of preventive measures that can be taken in this mysterious case of acute hepatitis are:
- Washing hands
- Ensure food is mature and clean
- Do not change eating utensils Avoid contact with sick people
- Implement health protocols.
(Source: Kompas.com/Retia Kartika Dewi, Devi Lufiana Putri | Editors: Inten Esti Pratiwi, Sari Hardiyanto)
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