Hepatitis graps education hub, Kota: 18-year-old NEET aspirant succumbs, many more infected

In a surprising turn of events, an 18-year-old NEET aspirant has succumbed to Hepatitis-A, while scores of students have been reported positive in Kota’s Jawahar Nagar area. According to reports, the deceased was a native of West Bengal and died during treatment at a private hospital on Thursday after being diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy on October 5.

Thirty-five students were reported positive for the flu, but 18 students have been confirmed to be discharged from the local hospital by Friday. Reportedly, 12 students are still under the close watch of doctors at private hospitals in Jawahar Nagar.

“There is an Allen coaching center in Jawahar Nagar. The water supplied to the institution through a private tanker was infected and we found the boring, which was th source of the tanker, to be contaminated too. Sensing the gravity of the situation, we have ordered for extensive cleanliness drive in several parts of the city. The administration has taken the matter with utmost sincerity, and we will ensure no such contamination of the water in the area. Therefore, we will deploy our man force to ensure the removal of such contaminated water,” said Dr Soni.

The officer further informed that the administration had held several level talks with the coaching and hostel management and conveyed the required SOPs. “We have informed students to only consume filtered water and don’t stroll around an area which does not seem neat & clean,” added the doctor.

To understand the seriousness of Hepatitis-A, The Quotes requested Dr. Sangam Singh, MBBS MD (Medicine), Assistant professor at ASMC, Deoria, to share his understanding of the infection, including its cause, symptoms and prevention to it.

A brief note from Dr Singh is as follows-:

Hepatitis A
Acute liver failure in hepatitis A infection. Acute liver failure is one of the most severe complications of HAV infection. The infection can cause death in up to 20-40 per cent of cases of all acute liver failure related to HAV. It is very contagious and can spread from close contact with an infected person or from contaminated food and water.

Signs and symptoms:
Usually, children below six years of age do not have any symptoms, but older children may have serious symptoms, including fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. Symptoms can last up to 2 months. About 100 people in the US die yearly from liver failure caused by HAV infection.

Prevention:
The vaccine is available for children older than six months old, is very safe and is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV).

Dr Sangam singh MBBS MD (Medicine) is an Assistant professor At ASMC, Deoria and had earlier wrote rare case report on pulmonary thromboembolism in leprosy patient. (Twitter: @sangamsangy).