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Life-Threatening Gastrointestinal Bleeding in a Child with Acute Hepatitis A
Simona Zlatanova1,2, Meri Hristamyan3, Kostadin Ketev4,5
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Blvd Vasil Aprilov 15A, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Insights
Hepatitis A can cause severe complications in children, including life-threatening bleeding from duodenal ulcers. Prompt medical intervention is crucial for survival in these rare cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a frequent cause of acute viral hepatitis in pediatric populations.
- While typically benign in children, severe complications of HAV infection can arise, especially in older children or those with co-existing medical conditions.
Background:
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a common cause of acute viral hepatitis in children. Severe complications are rare but may occur, particularly in older children or in the presence of concomitant conditions.
Case Presentation:
We report the case of an 11-year-old girl with acute hepatitis A with severe hepatic derangements who developed life-threatening upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to a previously undiagnosed duodenal ulcer. Emergency endoscopy confirmed active bleeding from a duodenal ulcer, and the patient survived the complications with treatment with a proton pump inhibitor and hemostatic management with blood products.
Conclusions:
Although hepatitis A is generally benign in children, this case highlights the potential for severe and life-threatening complications.
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