| ORIGINAL RESEARCH |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 8
| Issue : 4 | Page : 167-170 |
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Hepatitis A: A clinical spectram of the disease in children admitted in a tertiary care hospital
Anshul Bhargava1, Sweekar Panchal1, Jeetendra Gavhane2
1 Junior Resident, Department of Pediatrics, MGM Hospital and Medicai College, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
2 Professor, Department of Pediatrics, MGM Hospital and Medicai College, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
Jeetendra Gavhane
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, MGM Hospital and Medicai College, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
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Introduction: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a common communicable disease acquired from feco- oral route. It is endemic in fast developing urbanization areas. Poor sanitation is making this disease stay despite good vaccine availability. It may present with a range of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic infection to fulminant hepatitis.
Aims : To study the clinical profile of children with Hepatitis A infection.
Materials and Methods: It's a retrospective analysis of children having Acute HAV diagnosed by IgM hep A in 6 months to 12 years of age in last one year in tertiary care hospital. Clinical features, complications were studied.
Results: 27 cases were enrolled in our study. Mean age was 6.5 + 3.9 years out of 27 cases. Fever (92.6%), gastrointestinal complaints (59.3%) and lethargy (37%) were the common presenting symptoms. 12 patients (44.4%) presented with irritability and altered sensorium. Physical findings were hepatomegaly (96.2%) and jaundice (100%) in all children. More than 4-fold increase in level of Aspartate transaminase and Alanine transaminase were noted in almost all cases. Prothrombin time was deranged in 12(44.4%) cases. Serum Ammonia was raised in 8(27%) patients. 8 cases (27%) developed fulminant hepatic failure out of which 2 cases had co-infection with dengue, 1 case had a history of consumption of nimesulide and 1 case had chronic liver disease & 7 cases (25.9%) succumbed to death. Rest 20 (74.1%) recovered completely.
Conclusion: Though hepatitis A infection is a self-limiting disease, presence of co-infection, underlying liver disease and consumption of certain drugs can cause severe complications. Hence, all cases should be followed up till complete recovery.
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