Products & Services
Regarding unexplained childhood hepatitis, the National Health Council issued a letter!
2023-01-08
Since March 2022, severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children has been reported in several countries and regions worldwide. The cause of the disease is currently unknown, and no relevant cases have been reported in China. In order to prepare for medical treatment in advance, the National Health and Wellness Commission has organised and formulated the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Acute Hepatitis in Children of Unknown Causes (for Trial Implementation). According to the guideline, as of 20 May 2022, data from the European Surveillance System (ESS) showed that the disease can be seen in children of all ages, with a high prevalence in children under 5 years of age; 14.1% of the hospitalised children needed to be admitted to an intensive care unit.27 May 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 650 suspected cases were reported by 33 countries, with at least 38 cases needing liver transplantation and 9 deaths. The available evidence did not find a clear epidemiological association between the cases and does not yet support it as an infectious disease. According to the guideline, the clinical manifestations of severe acute hepatitis in children with unknown causes are acute onset, mostly manifested by digestive symptoms such as malaise and poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, followed by yellowish-red urine and yellowish staining of the skin and sclera, and in some cases, there may be a change in the colour of the stool to white, enlargement of the liver, fever and respiratory symptoms, and individually, there may be an enlargement of the spleen. A few cases may progress to acute liver failure within a short period of time, with progressive exacerbation of jaundice and hepatic encephalopathy. How to treat severe acute hepatitis in children with unknown cause? According to the guideline, comprehensive rescue measures based on symptomatic and supportive treatment should be adopted, with close observation of disease changes, assessment of mental status, monitoring of laboratory indicators, and prevention of complications. Patients with liver failure should be promptly referred to hospitals with rescue capability. The guidelines point out that the main preventive and control measures include strengthening hand hygiene, paying attention to wearing masks and dietary hygiene. In clinical work, medical staff are required to take standard precautions and report suspected cases as required.
