9 deaths from mysterious hepatitis in the world, the Ministry of Health proposes border surveillance

On May 13, in an official dispatch to the Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur; The Departments of Health of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the Ministry of Health have requested provinces with border gates to strengthen surveillance to detect suspected cases early. In case of detecting suspected cases, the Department of Health shall immediately report to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and Pasteur in the area in charge to agree on taking samples for testing and identifying the agent when necessary.

Local medical facilities in charge when detecting acute hepatitis cases, especially in children under 16 years of age, must examine and determine to detect cases of unknown cause (according to the case definition of World Health Organization – WHO).

According to updated information from WHO, as of May 7, the world recorded more than 300 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown cause in 23 countries in Europe and the Americas. , Southeast Asia, Western Pacific, including 9 deaths.

The disease occurs in children from 1 month old to 16 years old. Most pediatric patients recover completely, however, in some cases, the disease is severe, nearly 10% of cases require liver transplantation. According to WHO, a possible case (surveillance case) is a child under 16 years of age presenting with acute hepatitis (not caused by hepatitis A, B, C, D, E virus) with elevated liver enzymes above 500 IU/ l (SGOT or SGPT) and symptom onset from October 1, 2021 to present.

Currently, the exact cause of acute hepatitis in children has not been determined, and investigations and studies of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology are underway.

Previously, in order to proactively prevent the disease, the Ministry of Health had many times sent dispatches to the Institutes and Departments of Health of the provinces and cities on the surveillance of mysterious hepatitis in children.

According to the Ministry of Health, up to now, Vietnam has not recorded cases of children with acute hepatitis of unknown cause. However, in order to proactively prevent, the Ministry has strengthened the direction, inspection and supervision, and requested the units to closely monitor, summarize the situation, and analyze the epidemiology of this disease.