UKHSA investigating hepatitis surge as 74 children become sick - warning signs
HEPATITIS is a condition where the liver becomes inflamed. A dangerous condition if left untreated, it can have serious complications for those affected. Now the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating new cases of the virus in children.
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Adenoviruses are being listed as one line of enquiry; this type of viruses normally cause a range of mild illnesses and most people recover without any complications.
Adenoviruses can cause mild symptoms such as:
• Colds
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea.
It’s rare for this type of virus to cause hepatitis, but it’s not unknown.
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While they investigate the cause of these causes Dr Chand added: “Normal hygiene measures such as good handwashing, including supervising children, and respiratory hygiene, help to reduce the spread of many of the infections that we are investigating.
“We are also calling on parents and guardians to be alert of the signs of hepatitis,” added the doctor.
One of the reasons why the hepatitis infections in children are of concern are due partly to how they’re caused.
The NHS describes hepatitis as a “viral infection or liver damage caused by drinking alcohol".
This doesn’t suggest hepatitis is caused by underage drinking, rather it is unusual they would develop the infection.
Just like other medicinal conditions, hepatitis has a number of symptoms including:
• Muscle and joint pain
• A high temperature
• Feeling and being sick
• Feeling unusually tired all the time
• A general sense of feeling unwell
• Loss of appetite
• Tummy pain
• Dark urine
• Pale, grey-coloured poo
• Itchy skin
• Jaundice (Yellowing of the eyes and skin).
There are several types of hepatitis including hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, alcoholic hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis.
Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare cause of hepatitis, it causes the immune system to attack and damage the liver.
Treatment for this form of the infection normally involves medicines to suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation.
The NHS recommends a person should see their GP if they have any persistent or troublesome symptoms they think are caused by hepatitis.