Acute Viral Hepatitis A in Children: Clinical and Biochemical Profile-Tertiary Care Hospital Study
Abstract
Objective: Hepatitis A is an acute infection of liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), a non-enveloped RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family. It can present with a wide spectrum of severity, from asymptomatic seroconversion to fulminant hepatic failure, due to its high transmissibility and the persistent challenges with sanitation infrastructure, hepatitis A remains a prominent public health issue worldwide. This study was done to evaluate the clinical profile, complications and biochemical profile of Viral Hepatitis A in children. Methods: A prospective and analytical study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, GBH General Hospital, American International Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) College, Udaipur, Rajasthan. The study was conducted over a period of 24 mo starting from 1st March 2023 to 28th February 2025. 104 children aged 6 mo to 17 y diagnosed with acute viral hepatitis A (anti-HAV IgM Positive) were analyzed. Blood investigations, including LFT, PT/INR were sent. Descriptive statistics were reported as mean±standard deviation for continuous variables and as frequency and percentage for categorical variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Clinical profile of 104 paediatric patients seropositive for anti-HAV IgM were obtained mean age was 7.37 y and most children fell in the 6–12 y range. The most common clinical symptom was icterus, present in 100% of cases. Signs of hepatic encephalopathy were present in 1.94% of individuals and only one fatality was seen. The mean PT was 17.08 with a standard deviation of 11.42, indicating high variability. The median total bilirubin level was 4.9 mg/dl, with an interquartile range of 3.33 – 5.83 mg/dl. Conclusion: Male preponderance with icterus being most common symptoms followed by vomiting, anorexia, fever. Clinical awareness among healthcare providers and caregivers to recognize early signs of HAV in paediatric populations with early diagnosis and prompt treatment can reduce the risk of hepatic failure and mortality.