As of May 1, at least 228 cases and 50 suspected cases of acute severe hepatitis in children of unknown origin have been reported in 20 countries around the world. In this regard, on May 9, the General Administration of Customs made a deployment that customs across the country should strengthen quarantine inspections for inbound passengers from countries/regions with case reports, and conduct medical screenings for passengers with relevant symptoms according to prescribed procedures.
General Administration of Customs:
For those from countries with reported cases Inbound passengers, strengthen quarantine inspection work
On May 9, several countries around the world successively reported unexplained acute severe hepatitis cases in children , the General Administration of Customs has made arrangements for health and quarantine related work at customs ports across the country to prevent the spread of the epidemic into my country.
The General Administration of Customs requires customs across the country to strengthen quarantine inspections such as health declarations, temperature monitoring, and medical inspections for inbound passengers from countries/regions with case reports. Passengers with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and jaundice, especially children, should undergo medical screening according to the prescribed procedures. After medical investigation, passengers suspected of having acute severe hepatitis in children of unknown cause should be promptly transferred to designated medical institutions for further diagnosis and treatment, and follow-up should be done.
Customs reminded that the symptoms of acute severe hepatitis in children of unknown cause include jaundice and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain, etc. On the way of entry and exit, if you have symptoms of discomfort, you should promptly and truthfully inform the flight attendant on the vehicle, and cooperate with you to protect yourself. Inbound and outbound passengers, especially children, have gastrointestinal symptoms and jaundice, please declare to the customs in time, so as to obtain diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. WHO recommends that thorough hand washing, including supervising children, can help reduce the spread of many common infections.
Which countries in the world have childhood hepatitis of unknown etiology identified?
228 cases reported in 20 countries
According to the World Health Organization, as of May 1, 20 countries around the world have reported At least 228 acute severe hepatitis cases and 50 suspected cases in children of unknown etiology were reported. Including the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Romania, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Argentina, etc. Among them, the epidemic in Europe has spread to 14 countries, and the trend of spread is obvious. Cases have also been found in the Americas, Western Pacific and Southeast Asian countries. The age distribution of cases was mainly from 1 to 16 years old. Seventeen patients required liver transplantation, and at least one patient died. Many patients presented with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and most patients had no fever.
Is there any cases in my country?
No related cases have been found in my country
On May 7, the National Health and Medical Commission responded: At present, no related cases have been found in my country. Health administrative departments and medical institutions at the top level are closely monitoring and continuously monitoring the relevant situation.
What are the symptoms?
Be vigilant in these situations
On May 7, the National Health Commission reminded that the common features of children with acute hepatitis are: :
(1) Age from 1 month to 16 years old, mostly under 10 years old;
(2) Jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, lethargy and gastrointestinal symptoms ( Including diarrhea and vomiting), most of the children had no fever;
(3) The transaminase (AST or ALT) was significantly elevated in laboratory biochemical tests.
If the child has the above symptoms, parents should be vigilant and go to the hospital in time. It is recommended to check liver biochemical indicators, and do blood, urine, feces, and respiratory samples and other related etiological tests to further determine whether the child has acute hepatitis and the possible cause.
What is the cause?
Possible association with adenovirus infection
Studies suggest that the above-mentioned childhood hepatitis cases may be associated with adenovirus infection. But because many of these cases did not have symptoms typical of adenovirus infection, experts are still investigating other possible causes.
The five common hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E were not detected in samples from any of the cases, WHO said. One adenovirus was detected in at least 74 cases, of which adenovirus type 41 was detected in 18 cases. Adenovirus is a hypothetical cause of these cases.
Adenovirus is thought to be a cause of hepatitis in immunocompromised children, but its impact on liver damage in healthy children is still under investigation, the CDC said.
What is an adenovirus?
There are dozens of known adenoviruses, many of which are associated with cold symptoms such as fever and sore throat. Adenovirus type 41 is a common cause of acute gastroenteritis in children, usually with diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and respiratory symptoms.
Is it related to getting the coronavirus vaccine?
Currently do not support the relevant hypothesis
Recent World Health Organization surveys show that most children with unexplained acute hepatitis are not vaccinated against COVID-19 Virus vaccine, currently does not support the hypothesis related to the vaccination of the new coronavirus.
What do you think?
Prepare early, stay vigilant
On April 29, the WeChat public account of “Huashan Infection” posted an article introducing unknown causes in the UK and other places The development of hepatitis in children and its possible causes. The article pointed out that there is an imported risk of unexplained childhood hepatitis, and China should prepare for it early.
Zhang Wenhong, director of the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, said that this time the WHOThe unexplained hepatitis of note has the characteristics of a clustered incidence, and the incidence rate exceeds that in previous years. In this case, it is reasonable to consider the risk of infectious diseases.
Why are there so many cases of severe hepatitis this year, and only in children? At present, it is speculated that it is a long-term isolation of the new crown. Children have not been exposed to this virus for a long time, and sudden contact will cause relatively serious immune damage. This speculation is consistent with the phenomenon that emerging infectious diseases tend to be heavier in the early stage of disease outbreaks. of.
Zhang Wenhong said that we also need to be vigilant about unknown pathogens, even if the probability of a pandemic of this emerging infectious disease is not high.
How to prevent?
Disconnect droplet contact and fecal-oral transmission
Wash hands frequently and maintain respiratory hygiene
WHO believes it is imperative to identify the cause and recommends measures such as frequent hand washing and respiratory hygiene to prevent common viral infections such as adenovirus.
The National Health Commission pointed out that there are many causes of acute hepatitis in children, and the main route of infection is through the digestive tract and blood. Some of the children with acute hepatitis of unknown cause reported abroad this time tested positive for adenovirus. At present, the main preventive measures are to prevent children from going to crowded and poorly ventilated public places, cut off contact with droplets and fecal-oral transmission routes, ensure adequate sleep and nutrition for children, regularly wash children’s clothing and frequently contacted items, wash hands frequently, Wear a mask and maintain social distancing. Children with hepatitis symptoms such as jaundice and gastrointestinal symptoms should seek medical attention in time.
At present, the experience accumulated in the prevention and control of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic in my country and the improvement of the public’s awareness of health protection are of considerable benefit to the prevention of acute hepatitis in children with unknown causes.
Comprehensive report of Xiaoxiang Morning News