Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The mysterious hepatitis disease that affects many children has now entered Indonesia. This disease has been categorized as an Extraordinary Event (KLB) by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This case of acute hepatitis is called a mystery because the cause is unknown. Even so, this disease can be seen from several clinical symptoms, one of which is diarrhea. Then how to distinguish ordinary diarrhea with symptoms of this mysterious hepatitis?
Head of the Gastro-Hepatology Coordination Unit (UKK) of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), Dr. Muzal Kadim, SpA(K), revealed that there is a way to distinguish diarrhea due to mysterious hepatitis and ordinary diarrhea.
Muzal said diarrhea caused by rotavirus or a virus that causes inflammation in the digestive tract usually appears with fever before experiencing diarrhea. He explained that the symptoms of diarrhea are usually preceded by fever.
“First the fever, then the child vomits two or three times, then the next day diarrhea. That happens most often,” he said in an online discussion, Tuesday (10/5/2022), as quoted detik.com.
“Diarrhea is usually very liquid, has a sour smell, there is bloating, it is red in the anus. It is very typical of diarrhea in children or diarrhea in infants affected by rotavirus,” he added.
While diarrhea due to hepatitis usually coincides with the appearance of a mild fever to severe nausea. Children will generally experience weakness and pain in the abdomen due to an enlarged liver due to this disease.
“In case of acute hepatitis, hepatitis A is mostly transmitted through the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include nausea, but it is a bit different. Diarrhea is less frequent, nausea is more intense. The fever is mild. The weakness is mainly. Then the abdominal pain is more due to an enlarged liver in the upper right ,” he explained.
Even so, Muzal revealed that it is not easy to distinguish the symptoms of diarrhea due to hepatitis from a specific virus. He advised parents to immediately take their children with hepatitis symptoms to health facilities (faskes) for further examination.
With the mysterious hepatitis disease, parents with children under the age of 15 are urged to maintain good hygiene. Namely starting from frequent washing of hands, especially when eating and drinking.
In addition, transmission of acute hepatitis was reported through the respiratory tract, so children still had to wear masks, avoid crowds, and keep their distance.
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